Flood-ridden Oxfordshire estate to get taxpayer-funded drain

Buttercross Lane will be getting an improved drain, which is set to be installed in the coming weeks, funded by the public purse.

The Witney development, which is built on the site of a former industrial works in the town centre, has had repeated problems with flooding over recent years.

Over the last winter period the estate flooded several times, with one householder, who asked to remain anonymous, describing the situation as ‘appalling’.

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The householder said: “I can’t leave my house today as I can’t drive my car through this.

“This is the worst it’s ever been it’s appalling and the council think the solution is to send a deism lorry once on a while.

Water being pumped away (Image: Cllr Thomas Ashby)

“It’s totally unacceptable – a failure of their adoption of road management and safety – I’m at a loss with what to do.”

Initially Oxfordshire County Council put in place low-level drainage tanks to provide interim relief but now a more permanent solution is to be delivered.

The drainage improvements will be carried out from August 3 to August 28, with warning signs set to be installed at the junction of Station Lane and Buttercross Lane.

Buttercross Lane will be closed from its junction with Willowbank during the works.

(Image: Oxfordshire County Council)

Liz Leffman, Oxfordshire County Council’s cabinet member for highways construction and repair, said: “Residents have had to put up with flooding at this location for far too long due to a lack of proper maintenance by the developer prior to the road’s adoption by the council as highways authority.

“Officers have worked hard to come up with a solution to this problem, which was far from straightforward to resolve.”

Cllr Thomas Ashby on Buttercross Lane (Image: Cllr Thomas Ashby)

It appears the work will come from the taxpayer’s pocket, which Conservative councillor Thomas Ashby is unhappy about.

He said: “While I am deeply disappointed that taxpayers are footing the bill for a development that should have included proper drainage from the start, I appreciate the council officers’ hard work in designing a robust fix.

In 2017 South Swindon MP Robert Buckland (centre) presented an award to MD Peter Mapson (right) (Image: NQ)

“Thank you to the residents of Buttercross Lane and the entire Buttercross Estate for your continued patience while I worked hard behind the scenes to get this secured.”

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This comes after this paper revealed that Bower Mapson, the house-builder that developed Buttercross Works in Witney, owes a total of £434,164.

In a summary of its financial statements up to March 31 last year – as published on Companies House – it said the firm owed £145 to trade creditors, £233,020 to other creditors and £200,999 to participating interests.

The document was filed on November 21, just days after Peter Mapson was officially removed as a director for the Swindon-based company on October 28.