WORK has started on a drainage scheme in Rose Hill that residents hope will finally bring an end to over 15 years of flooding.

Houses in Courtland Road have been blighted by water running down from Rose Hill playing field after heavy rainfall, swamping their gardens and driveways.

In February Oxford City Council approved the £40,000 scheme, which includes construction of a concrete drainage trench, and the planting of 300 trees in conjunction with Rose Hill and Iffley Low Carbon.

Lynn Taylor, who has lived in Courtland Road for 15 years, said she hoped the project would bring an end to the flooding.

She said: “In the winter rainfall leads to water running down from the football pitches and it ends up standing outside our homes.

“This has made it very difficult for people to keep their gardens in one piece.

“A lake forms on the playing fields as well, which makes it unsafe for children to play on.

“With the new community centre planned, the land is going to need more drainage and I think the plan is to make the area a bit nicer in general.

“It’s fantastic that they are planting trees as well as digging the trench because they will soak up some of the water and they will make the playing fields a more interesting place.”

Eleanor Watts, chairwoman of Rose Hill and Iffley Low Carbon, said: “We are planning to hold a tree planting event in November following on from the 300 we planted last autumn.

“There is no doubt this sort of flooding is happening because of climate change.

“We have had three major floods in Oxford in the past few years and you notice it happening more and more in our area.

“Planting more trees now will help the environment and help lessen the effects of climate change, which in the long run will stop the Government and the council having to spend money on projects like digging ditches.”

City councillor Ed Turner said he was delighted the project had gone ahead.

He said: “It was just not fair on residents to have their gardens flooded by water from the recreation ground year after year, and we very much hope this work will solve the problem for good.

“An added bonus will be the trees and mound, which should add some extra interest to our recreation ground.

“It’s good news for our community.”

Top News
Do you want alerts delivered straight to your phone via our WhatsApp service? Text NEWS or SPORT or NEWS AND SPORT, depending on which services you want, and your full name to 07767 417704. Save our number into your phone's contacts as Oxford Mail WhatsApp and ensure you have WhatsApp installed.

Our top stories