Oswestry residents faced with flooding from crucial culvert

Residents of Guinevere Close, adjacent to Gobowen Road, have recently come within inches of having their properties inundated on the Jasmine Gardens estate.

Shropshire Council says it is aware of the problem and is pressing the owners of land to take action.

The culvert is crucial because it is only 13 inches wide but it is the only outlet for water which builds up on the fields behind the estate, and floods onto Gobowen Road. It has previously blocked, say campaigners.

Several of the cars stuck in flood water over the past weekend were on the stretch of Gobowen Road opposite Guinevere Close.

Oswestry's Lib Dem MP Helen Morgan is backing a town councillor’s campaign for more support for the residents.

Mrs Morgan, MP for North Shropshire, said: “Having seen the problem for myself, I am very keen to see a solution to the problems residents on Guinevere Close opposite Gobowen Road are facing with flooding, and have asked Shropshire Council to take action.

“Residents in Oswestry shouldn’t have to live in fear that if water rises another inch or two it could get into their homes. It is important that this issue is dealt with and not kicked into the long grass, especially as we are experiencing such a wet winter.”

Councillor James Owen represents the residents impacted.

James Owen, Oswestry town councillor for Cambrian ward, said: “Floods are becoming more and more common. Back in 2021 Shropshire Council provided Jasmine Gardens residents with a pump to help deal with the issue, but now people can't even get a hold of them even when the flood is inches from their homes.

“Residents have had to fork out almost £1,000 personally between the five houses back in October, and worried they will have to do again with the spell of terrible weather we’ve been having.

“Many of the cars stuck in flood water lately were on Gobowen Road – there is a real knock-on impact for the whole town by not dealing with this problem properly.”

Mark Barrow, Shropshire Council's executive director of place, said: "Shropshire Council are aware of the risk of flooding in Jasmine Gardens, Guinevere Close and Gobowen Road.

"During intense rainfall events water runs off the fields to a culvert under the Gobowen road.

"Following investigations in 2020 the section under the highway owned by Shropshire Council was found to be free flowing, however the capacity of the downstream stone culvert under [a rail line] was impacted by tree roots.

"This system then runs in private ownership through the industrial park on Whittington Road.

"Shropshire Council have made the [landowners] aware of their riparian responsibilities to maintain the free flow of water though this culvert and the council's Land Drainage Team have once again contacted the [owner] to confirm that maintenance works are taking place."