600 homes in Luton protected from flooding thanks to new £8.5m drainage system

This £8.5 million project will hold water at times of heavy rain, allowing it to drain slowly into the Houghton Brook.

It is hoped this will cut the risk of flooding in areas along the Houghton Brook and River Lea in Luton.

The work is being carried out due to the town’s long history of flooding from the River Lea and its tributaries, in particular where the Houghton Brook joins the River Lea around Toddington Road.

During heavy floods in 2007, Luton Central Fire Station, local road including the A6, and Wardown Park were all badly affected.

Darsha Gill, from the Environment Agency, said: “We and our partners are making good progress with the construction of the flood storage area at Houghton Brook, which is a key part of plans to reduce the risk of flooding in the Luton area.

"Our construction partner BAM Nuttall is working within the latest Public Health England guidelines to ensure the safety of our staff, partners and the local community.

“The Environment Agency strives to make people more aware of the risks of flooding, and our Flood Action Week held last week highlighted that one in eight people do not know if they live in a flood-risk area.

“We would encourage everyone to check the risk of flooding in their area by visiting https://www.gov.uk/check-flood-risk, and also to familiarise themselves with the different warning levels, so they know what to do in the event of flooding.”

Advice includes signing up to the free Flood Warning Service and checking necessary actions for each level of warning, working with neighbours to create a community flood plan, and gathering essential items in a personal ‘flood kit’.

Further information is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/flooding-planning-managing-and-recovering-from-a-flood.

Work by construction partner BAM Nuttall began in May this year and is expected to be completed by spring 2021.

It is being funded by Defra, Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee, SEMLEP Local Growth Fund and Luton Borough Council.