Flood-hit firms say plea for protection is ignored

Debenham was engulfed with flood water during Storm Babet

Business owners in parts of a county devastated by a storm two years ago said "nothing has been done" to protect them from future flooding.

On 20 October 2023, Debenham and Framlingham, in Suffolk, bore the brunt of Storm Babet during what was declared a major incident.

More than 750 homes and businesses were hit by a deluge of water from the River Deben, leading to calls for more protection.

East Suffolk Council said work was being carried out to safeguard parts of the county from flooding, Mid Suffolk Council said it took flood risks seriously and Suffolk County Council (SCC) and the Environment Agency said it had "worked hard" to support residents.

Framlingham postmaster Roger Tripp said "nothing had been done" to safeguard the town

"Unfortunately, nothing has been done and we've seen no work on the river whatsoever, which is hugely frustrating," said Framlingham postmaster Roger Tripp.

"It would be lovely to see the EA actually come and talk to us and say 'we will help' but you don't see neither hide nor hair of them."

While Mr Tripp's post office, which was flooded, was back up and running, he said there were still "lots of lessons that should be learnt".

"It was total devastation. We couldn't believe it, and it was just tragic to see all your hard work floating around," he added.

"And I can't get flood insurance anymore, so I hope and pray we don't ever get a deluge like this ever again."

Business owner Bill Bulstrode says there needs to be "more action"

Calls for the river to be dredged to help with water flow have intensified, and some businesses and shops have even left the town.

"I want to see Framlingham survive but if we have a deluge it could happen again," said Bill Bulstrode, who owns Bulstrode's, a general store.

"We need more action - the river is in the same position as it was two years ago today. It's appalling and nothing has been done.

"They seem to find money for other problems in the country and the world but we seem to have been forgotten."

Jade Martin, from Debenham Veterinary Practice, is frustrated by a lack of "joined-up" thinking

Jade Martin is co-owner of Debenham Veterinary Practice - which is still undergoing flood-damage repairs.

She says she would like to install flood defences but conversations she has had so far "have not been super fruitful".

"If you want to put a flood wall in you have to get an application permit from the Environment Agency, separate from any application you put in to the council," she said.

"We're trying to work with various agencies about what our options are here, but they are limited.

"Domestic property owners have put in earth bunds and taken landscaping measures, but we are not able to do that here.

"There is no holistic, joined up approach and no overall great plan, and so it is very hard at the moment - it's very frustrating for us to continue working in this way."

Framlingham was also badly hit by the storm

In the aftermath of Storm Babet SCC, the lead local flood authority, set up the Flood Investigations and Grants Team.

It investigated causes, streamlined procedures, and collaborated with the Environment Agency and other councils to “keep communities informed and supported”.

Mid Suffolk Council, meanwhile, investigated whether proposed water management strategies put in place as part of the recent building of developments on Little London Hill and Aspall Road were working effectively and not increasing flood risk in the area.

The authority ruled neither had contributed to the flooding and that a surface water mitigation scheme had worked as expected.

A spokesperson for Mid Suffolk District Council said: "Our ward councillor for Debenham, Teresa Davis, has been prominent in bringing the local community together with SCC and the Environment Agency for a flood summit.

"Councillors elsewhere are supporting farmers and landowners to invest in further flood mitigation measures, as well as working with communities to understand and address any local issues.

"As the local planning authority we take the resilience of our communities and the need for sustainable development extremely seriously."

‘A huge amount of work has taken place’

And East Suffolk Council said work was being carried out to safeguard Framlingham from future flooding.

"There has, and continues to be, a considerable effort in Framlingham from organisations, businesses and residents to help the town become more resilient against flooding," a spokesperson said.

"A huge amount of work has taken place to ascertain the causes of the flooding and recommendations are being acted upon where possible, to reduce the likelihood and impact of future events."

The Environment Agency said it had "worked hard to support communities across East Anglia" and "a new flood warning in Framlingham had been expanded to cover more properties".

A spokesperson said: "It will help the residents and businesses be better prepared for any future floods. Our specialist officers are looking at expanding the service to other areas as well.

"Our teams regularly clear the River Ore and others of debris that could pose a flood-risk.

"We continue to work closely with Framlingham Town Council and the local community to explore a range of options for managing flood-risk in the longer term."