Desborough homeowners say missing hedge is causing flooding

Paula O'Toole said water was cascading down the decking and on to pathways

People living on an estate where a hedge was removed say they are now suffering with flooding.

The hedge served as a boundary between their homes in Desborough, Northamptonshire, and a new housing development.

One resident told the BBC she cried when it was removed and replaced with mesh fencing in November 2022.

The developer said it believed recent prolonged rain had caused the issues, but it was installing more drainage.

Jeannette Reid said most of the hedge came down while she was on holiday in 2022

In 2022, Jeannette Reid told the BBC the 20ft (6m) tall hedge between her house and the building site was removed while she was on holiday.

"I cried when they started to take it down, which was just before I went away," she said.

It left her looking out of her lounge at a view of a construction site, complete with diggers and half-built houses.

A year on, residents said the recent bad weather coupled with the removal of the hedge had resulted in their gardens flooding.

Annie Povilionis said her garden flooded every time it rained

Annie Povilionis, who lives on Green Crescent, said: "It all started in 2022 when they removed the boundary hedge.

"We started having flooding issues and it's definitely getting worse, the more they've done [building the new housing estate]."

She said she had complained to the council many times, but felt she had been ignored.

She added it was "very distressing" because "every time it rains, I can't open my door; I can't let the dogs out".

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Paula O'Toole, who lives next door, is also frustrated about the water running onto her land.

She said: "It's cascading down the decking. I don't know what damage it's doing underneath [to] my conservatory, the footings.

"I was crying all day Sunday and I shouldn't have to be - this is my sanctuary."

Paula O'Toole said walkways between their houses were always waterlogged because the water now has nowhere else to go

In a statement, the developer Avant Homes said: "Given the persistent heavy rainfall over a period of weeks when the flooding was said to have taken place, we do not accept that the works being undertaken at our development caused it.

"In any event, our planned works programme involves the installation of a perforated land drain along the eastern boundary of our development which should assist with the disposal of rainfall run-off.

"We are currently in discussions with our groundwork contractor with a view to these works being carried out in the coming weeks."

A spokesperson for North Northamptonshire Council said the reason for flooding was "unclear" but it hoped the new drainage would resolve any issues.