Flood risk at Church Street, Long Bennington, Newark, NG23 5ES - Find a freedom of information request

We have been instructed in respect of the flood which occurred on 7 January 2025 at  Church Street, Long Bennington, Newark, NG23 5ES. Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, we would greatly appreciate if you could provide the following information and/or documents:

1. Actions the Local Authority took since October 2023 and in the run up to and on 7 January 2025 to prevent the threat of flooding to the Property.

2. All documents/inspection records/meeting minutes/reports/information available to the Local Authority in respect of the cause of the flood on 7 January 2025, including but not limited to any section 19 Report.

3. Notifications/correspondence received referring to the flood risk in Long Bennington and the surrounding areas prior to and following the incident on 7 January 2025.

4. Copies of any section 19 Reports prepared in respect of the Long Bennington area since 2020.

5. Please provide any flood risk assessments undertaken in respect of the Property and the Long Bennington area since 2020 and in place at the time of the incident on 7 January 2025.

6. Details and documents demonstrating actions taken by the Local Authority following 7 January 2025 in respect of the flood risk in the Long Bennington area.

7. Details of any prior flood incidents and complaints received by the Local Authority within 1km of the Property since 2020.

8. Details of any Flood Alleviation Scheme planned or implementing in the Long Bennington area between October 2023 to date.

9. Details of any discussion regarding Flood Resilience in respect of the Property since October 2023.

1. Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) have not directly undertaken any actions to prevent the threat of flooding to the Property.

2. LCC have not currently been formally notified of any internal flooding experienced on 7th January 2025 for properties on Church Street, Long Bennington. However, if information was forthcoming to the authority, then a formal investigation would be commissioned. LCC would only undertake a formal Section 19 Flood Investigation if internal flooding to the living space has been confirmed at a property.

3. LCC received the following notifications of property flooding for the January 2025 event (property numbers redacted due to GDPR):

4.

 The following S19 reports have been produced in respect of Long Bennington since 2020 and are attached with this submission. Please note property details are redacted due to GDPR.

• S19-372 – February 2020
• S19-373 – February 2020
• S19-378 – February 2020
• S19-573 – November 2022
• S19-634 – October 2023

5. LCC has not undertaken any site-specific flood risk assessments.

6. LCC have taken no action in light of the fact no formal notification of internal flooding has been received as highlighted in question 2 of this request.

7. Please refer to the Section 19 investigation reports as provided under question 4 of this request.

8. In January 2025, surface water improvement works have begun in the southern section of the village. The works will look to improve collection of surface water in the area immediately outside of the primary school on Main Road by increasing the number of highways gullies and renewing the lateral connections. A new length of drain will be installed along the western verge of Main Road from Church Street to the south of Willow Court, this will ease the pressure on the existing sewer to the east of Main Road and provide further benefits by adding additional connections to the accesses of properties along the western side of Main Road. It is also proposed to convey flows from the junction of Church Street into this new length of sewer. Works are due to be completed in March 2025.

9. An application has been received from the Property in respect of the Defra funded Property Flood Resilience Repair Grant Scheme which is ongoing.

LCC have be made aware of potential proposals on private land at the rear of the Property. However, this is being led by the landowner and his contractors. Specific details of which are not held by LCC.

Should you require the attachments mentioned above please contact customerinformationservice@lincolnshire.gov.uk with the below reference number and this can be provided.