Flood Defences
The new millennium saw an increase in the incidence of floods, and temporary barriers, shown here in action, were introduced even before the major flood in 2007. The non-arrival of the barriers in 2007, and the cost of each deployment of the temporary barriers, brought demands by some for permanent defences. The Environment Agency proposed a wall along Waterside and a bund on the sports field.
Opinion in the town was divided and, after 2 years of debate and redesign of the project, planning permission was granted in 2010.
This picture (taken in March 2011) shows the construction phase of the bund on the sports field, designed to protect the New Street and Old Street areas of Upton.
