RESIDENTS in Skelmanthorpe have called for urgent repairs to a stream – as they fear a repeat of the devastating summer floods.
People living in the Parkgate area of the village have called on the Environment Agency to prioritise work on Baildon Dyke, after their homes were flooded in July.
They want a flood prevention wall to be built, the banks of the dyke to be raised and debris cleared from the stream itself and from the banks.
Repair work to four homes in Parkgate that were flooded is still under way.
Christopher Ward, a resident and a spokesman for the Skelmanthorpe Community Action Group, has now written to the Environment Agency.
He said: “We need to make urgent progress with the necessary remedial and additional works to prevent further flooding of our homes.
“The two floods we endured within a 14-day period were in the summer months and we need to ensure we have taken all reasonable steps to make certain before the coming autumn and winter months that we have flood prevention work completed.
“This is to include the installation of a flood prevention wall and, most importantly, that the waterway is attended to with debris, rocks and stones removed to increase the depth”.
An Environment Agency spokesman said: “The dyke came under our responsibility in April 2006 and since then it has been subjected to our regular maintenance process.
“We have carried out regular checks and cleared away any blockages, debris or silt that we have found.
“We will carry out more checks before the winter months, but if anyone has any specific concerns I would ask them to get in touch with us.”
