Heartbroken Britons stuck in housing nightmare as homes flooded for SECOND time in just six months

Wales First Minister defends government response to Storm Bert flooding
GB News
Eliana Silver

By Eliana Silver


Published: 08/12/2024

- 13:37

Families are being left in financial ruin as a result

Families in a new Northumberland housing estate are living through a devastating ordeal after their £130,000 homes were flooded twice in just six months, leaving many facing financial ruin.

Residents of Crawford Park estate in Blyth have seen their properties repeatedly swamped with dirty water due to an inadequate drainage system, rendering their homes effectively unsaleable.


The development, built on a former colliery site, has left homeowners in a desperate situation as many are now unable to secure insurance coverage following the repeated flooding incidents.

Most devastating of all, it has emerged that the site was known to be at risk of surface flooding when planning permission was granted, raising serious questions about the approval process.

Man walking through flooded streets

Residents of Crawford Park estate in Blyth have seen their properties repeatedly swamped with dirty water (Stock Image)

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Fifteen houses on Bates Avenue have been affected, with some residents facing repair bills of thousands of pounds whilst various organisations involved refuse to accept responsibility.

Heavy rainfall in April 2023 first overwhelmed the estate's sewer system, causing dirty water to flood properties and transform Bates Avenue into a lake.

Just as residents were completing repairs and moving back into their homes, an even more catastrophic flood struck in October.

The second deluge saw a month's worth of rain fall in just 24 hours, overwhelming the drainage system once again.

Water levels reached 10 inches high inside properties, causing extensive damage to newly installed fixtures and fittings.

One resident had just finished installing a new kitchen and fridge, only to see everything ruined in the second flood.

A temporary pump installed by the water authority proved ineffective in preventing the October flooding, leaving residents watching helplessly as their homes were swamped for the second time in half a year.

Nick Tait, 24, and his fiancée Dionne Humes, 23, exemplify the nightmare facing Crawford Park residents after purchasing their £128,000 two-bedroom semi last September.

The young couple were never informed about flood risks during the purchasing process.

In April, eight inches of filthy water submerged their ground floor, destroying carpets, furniture, television and white goods.

Though initially covered by insurance, disaster struck again just hours after plasterers completed repair work on October 8.

"I feel completely defeated," said Tait, who couldn't renew his insurance policy due to an ongoing claim from the first flood.

Flooded house

Eight inches of filthy water submerged their ground floor (Stock Image)

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The couple now face a £6,000 repair bill for the second flood with no insurance coverage.

"I guarantee the value of our property has easily halved," Tait added. "We are terrified every single time it rains."

The Maddipatla family's ordeal highlights the human cost of the planning failure, with the young family requiring rescue by firefighters during one flooding incident.

Pavan Maddipatla, 37, his wife Sai, 30, and their children, including a five-day-old baby, were trapped when floodwaters cut power to their £120,000 three-bedroom home.

Despite being one of the first properties built on the estate in 2019, flooding risks were never disclosed to the family.

"It has been a nightmare and we have been left in limbo," said Mr Maddipatla, an IT consultant.

The family's insurance troubles mirror those of their neighbours, with premiums skyrocketing and flood coverage becoming impossible to secure.

"We are very small people in this situation. It is our hard-earned money, how do we make them accountable for this?" Mr Maddipatla questioned, pointing to failures by the builders, water authority and council.

A flood assessment report submitted during the planning stage explicitly warned that the 142-home estate was at risk of surface water flooding.

The report concluded there was "a highly significant risk of surface water flooding" that would occur in a "one in 75 year rainfall event."

Despite these clear warnings, insufficient measures were implemented to protect the properties on Bates Avenue.

The planning failure is further illustrated by the case of Kayley Walker, whose car was written off in the October floods.

Residents are considering legal action if they can raise sufficient funds (Stock Image)

PA

In January, the developer dug a large trench to install a new sewage drain, connecting houses to the main old sewage drain - which crucially remained unupgraded.

"It's ridiculous. Nothing was said about a flood risk when we bought the house," said Ms Walker. "I blame both Gleesons and Northumbria Water. They shouldn't have built here without proper drainage."

Northumbrian Water has installed flood-proof doors and barriers in affected homes whilst undertaking a £4m upgrade of the local pumping station.

The water authority says the project will be completed by year's end and should reduce flooding risks.

However, in a revealing email to residents, a Northumbrian Water customer care manager stated they have "no legal responsibility for any damage caused as a result of a leak from its network of sewers."

The water company maintains they are "sorry for the disruption" and have held face-to-face meetings with affected residents.

Gleeson Homes says they are "actively engaging" with local MP Ian Lavery and Northumbrian Water to address the situation.

Northumberland County Council, the planning authority at the centre of approval questions, has failed to respond to requests for comment.

Meanwhile, residents are considering legal action if they can raise sufficient funds through an online appeal.

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