Vital work to replace a water culvert to protect a flood-hit residential area in Kendal from further devastation will be carried out thanks to a local housebuilder.
Russell Armer Homes has committed £277,000 to replace an ineffective watercourse on Burneside Road – which was flooded for the fifth time in recent years last week.
Burneside Road runs close to the River Kent which flooded in 2004, 2005, 2009 and 2015. The area has been identified as an ongoing cause for concern to residents about flood risk due to the damaged culvert.
Russell Armer Homes is set to start building 157 homes at its Meadow Rigg development on land nearby, and Cumbria County Council asked the homebuilder to help with surface water drainage from the site, enquiring whether it could help finance the replacement of the damaged existing culvert close to the site entrance.
Nicky Gordon, managing director of Russell Armer Homes, said: “It was awful to see all the communities devastated once again by the floods Cumbria experienced throughout last week. So we are delighted to be able to play such a significant part in reducing the flood risk to nearby residents by financing a replacement culvert.
“The area has been repeatedly hit by flooding in recent years, and for us to be able to have a positive impact on the local community is something we always strive for.
“As work is set to get under way shortly on the Meadow Rigg development, we liaised closely with Cumbria County Council on what community benefits we could provide and we didn’t hesitate when it was suggested we could provide such vital improvements which will make the lives of so many people safer.
“Replacing the culvert will prevent residents living in fear of their homes flooding every time it rains heavily, and it will certainly put their minds at ease.”
The funding for the replacement culvert is part of the house builder’s agreement to provide benefits to the local community from the Meadow Rigg development.
