Thatcham: Flood basins approved to protect town in heavy rain

A similar scheme was completed at Cold Ash Hill in 2014

Plans to create four basins to prevent flooding in a town during heavy rain have been approved.

Thatcham was devastated by severe floods in July 2007 with about 1,000 homes damaged after water rose to 4ft (1.2m) in some places.

West Berkshire Council's planning committee voted unanimously in favour of the plan.

The basins will collect excess water from pipes and ditches and later release it into sewers.

One basin is planned for Bowling Green Lane and two in West Health Lane in Cold Ash, a further single basin is proposed for Floral Way in Thatcham.

A car in flood water outside the Kennet School in Thatcham in 2007

The Eastern Area Planning Committee heard how the basins would help catch 30 million litres of rain water.

The basins are designed to hold large volumes of surface run-off and the water is then released at a controlled rate into the sewer system once a storm has passed.

In the past, during extreme rainfall, the town's systems have been overwhelmed causing widespread flooding.