Posted & filed under Community Resilience, Flood Mitigation, Flooding News, In The Press, Potwell Dyke Flood Group.

Flood project paused over heritage impact fears – Greig Watson, BBC News, East Midlands, Published, 30 August 2025


The new flood barrier would have to be 60m (197ft) longer than originally planned

A question mark has been put over the future of a flood defence scheme in Nottinghamshire due to its potential impact on an archaeological area.
The county council’s plans to build a 250m (820ft) embankment, known as a bund, across parkland at Potwell Dyke near Southwell Minster, were approved in January.
But the authority has now said the bund, to be effective, would have to be 60m (197ft) longer, which could affect nearby Roman remains.
Officials said they were consulting with Historic England to understand whether the larger design was likely to get new planning consent, but they would “explore alternatives to the scheme if it cannot go ahead in the revised form”.

Nottingham Road, near the town’s leisure centre, flooded in October 2023
The scheme is designed to protect 36 properties and reduce the risk to more by holding back water from Potwell Dyke and allowing it to be released slowly.
Southwell suffers regular flooding, most notably in 2013 when 300 properties were affected, the council added.
The Potwell Dyke area contains remains of Roman structures, possibly associated with the nearby villa.
The new design would also be taller than the original 2.5m (8.2ft) and mean the closure of a popular local footpath, the authority confirmed.
A spokesman for the council said: “The Potwell Dyke scheme is one of a number of flooding measures which make up the Southwell Flood Alleviation Scheme, and the county council will continue to work closely with local partners to explore alternatives to the scheme if it cannot go ahead in the revised form.”

Tips to help reduce your flood risk

Posted & filed under Bramley Newspaper, Community Resilience, Flood Mitigation, In The Press, Planning, SuDS.

LOCAL flood risk is well documented and has sadly been experienced first hand by too many residents. Climate change and further housing developments only exacerbate the flood risk in our town and villages. Whilst much is beyond the control of householders there are simple steps that most community minded people can take to help reduce… Read more »

Southwell Flood Project – Clearance works

Posted & filed under Bramley Newspaper, Community Resilience, Flood Mitigation, Natural Flood Management, Potwell Dyke Flood Group.

THE Southwell Flood Project includes the construction of an earth bund across Potwell Dyke, aligned in a west to east direction before extending southwards, and the provision of a control structure allowing the rate of water flow along the dyke to be restricted. This will ensure that homes downriver from the bund will be better… Read more »

Bramley article – March 2025 – Potwell Dyke allevation approved

Posted & filed under Bramley Newspaper, Community Resilience, Flood Mitigation, In The Press, Potwell Dyke Flood Group.

Potwell Dyke flooding scheme approved It’s great news that the Potwell Dyke flood alleviation scheme has been approved after many years of planning and designing. The scheme will reduce flood risk to over 70 homes on Church Street, Easthorpe and downstream. During heavy rainfall, any overflow from the Potwell Dyke will be stored temporarily behind… Read more »

Mansfield’s sustainable flood resilience

Posted & filed under Community Resilience, Flood Mitigation, In The Press, Natural Flood Management, SuDS.

The project started in Spring 2022 and aims to finish by 2025 Severn Trent Water, working in partnership with Mansfield District Council, is investing £76m in installing sustainable drainage systems across the town, to create a greener, cleaner Mansfield to help protect against flooding, while bringing big community benefits. New Year, new drainage for Mansfield!… Read more »

Potwell Dyke alleviation scheme – planning approved

Posted & filed under Community Resilience, Flood Mitigation, In The Press, Potwell Dyke Flood Group.

Article in Newark Advertiser Flood defence to help protect 70 Southwell homes from flooding approved by Nottinghamshire County Council Up to 70 Southwell homes will get protection from flooding after plans to build a huge earth mound were approved. Nottinghamshire County Council’s planning committee met today (January 28) to discuss the plans. They involve creating… Read more »

New Floods Taskforce must prioritise nature-based approach to flood resilience

Posted & filed under Community Resilience, Flood Mitigation, Natural Flood Management, SuDS.

As more flooding hits the UK, the Landscape Institute (LI) is calling on the government’s new Floods Resilience Taskforce to adopt a strategic, nature-based approach to flood resilience. AtkinsRealis: Greenspace and flood wall The perpetuation of a ‘fixing problems’ approach, rather than a preventative one, will only increase risk to communities, and undermine the benefits… Read more »

Environment Agency – National assessment of flood and coastal erosion risk in England 2024

Posted & filed under Community Resilience, Flood Mitigation, Flooding News, In The Press, National Flood Resilience Review.

The new report is here Due to significant improvements in the Environment Agency’s data, modelling and use of technology, statistics show a 43% increase on the Environment Agency’s previous assessment for areas at risk of flooding from surface water. The report states that around 4.6 million properties are in areas at risk of flooding from… Read more »

‘Green’ driveways – planning rules and Gardeners Question Time suggestions

Posted & filed under Community Resilience, Flood Mitigation, In The Press, Planning, SuDS.

Some useful ideas for creating ‘green’ parking space for your driveway on Gardeners Question Time on Sunday 24th November 2024. Extract from the programme here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m00254hb – starts at 22.22 minutes. NB Planning permission is usually required for driveways that are larger than five square meters – [Self-Assessment-form-F—hard-standing-kerb-gate.pdf](https://www.newark-sherwooddc.gov.uk/…/Self-Assessment…). Run-off from the increasing number of gardens… Read more »