Traders call for urgent action to stop future floods

Charles Tweed said some businesses had left the estate because of the flooding threat

Business owners on a Derby industrial estate that was badly flooded in October are calling for urgent action to prevent it happening again.

Firms based at the West Meadows Industrial Estate were left under 9ft (2.7m) of water when Storm Babet brought major flooding to the city centre.

Traders there think more should have been done in the months since to protect their buildings - with one gym even resorting to fitting submarine-style doors.

Derby City Council and the Environment Agency have said work is under way on a scheme to reduce the risk of flooding there.

Submarine-style doors have been installed to prevent water getting into the Ultra Flex gym

Charles Tweed, owner of the Ultra Flex gym, said he decided to have specially-fitted metal doors installed to stop water entering his business if the floods should return.

He said: "It would be nice to know that we are safely guarded from any further floods because this estate has become a bit of a ghost town at the moment.

"People are not investing in it due to the fact they can't get insurance."

Storm Babet brought major flooding to Derby city centre

Phil Richford, who has a motor services business, said flood water entered the estate through an underpass that is used by pedestrians.

"That underpass should be sealed off. It is no use to anybody," he said.

"All the businesses can't understand why it hasn't been done."

Flood water came through an underpass and onto the West Meadows Industrial Estate during Storm Babet

Jim Parlato, a director of building firm Browns said the flooding in October had been caused by surface water rather than the nearby River Derwent bursting its banks.

He says he wants to see more work done to make sure water does not enter the industrial estate from drains and culverts.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said it was working with Derby City Council and Network Rail to prevent future flooding there.

They said: “Derby City Council is progressing with the second phase of the Our City Our River scheme which will increase resilience to the West Meadows area.

“As a temporary measure until all phases of Our City Our River are in place we are currently investigating with Network Rail if stop logs can be installed in the railway underpass to reduce this flow route."

Cars parked outside Browns Builders' Merchants when it flooded in 2019