28 February 2025
Gilston Lane flooding
It is important to note that this is an historic problem whereby the roadside bank, which is the responsibility of Hertfordshire Highways, has subsided into the river.
There is a lot of mature tree growth on the riverbank, as well as fly tipping which contributed to the recent flooding. The above factors combined resulted in reduced holding capacity of the river and therefore flooding post rainfall. In that instance, in an effort to assist residents, PfP instructed contractors to remove the fly tipping debris and tree limbs which were obstructing the river course over a 200m length. This has already reportedly reduced the flow rate, and local residents have acknowledged this.
As we’re sure you can appreciate, PfP cannot be considered responsible for flooding which already exists in flood zones, but we will be taking steps in agreement with Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) to ensure any future development doesn’t make the issues worse. We understand that progress is being made on this behind the scenes at HCC, so hopefully a positive update from them will be provided in due course.