Our aim is very simple – to prevent further flooding in the Strettons. This is an ambitious aim but one we can achieve with the support of the community, partner organisations, landowners and local business’. Other areas that have been doing this for much longer than us have demonstrated what can be done!
To achieve this aim we will pursue two complementary activities.
The first is to ‘slow the flow’ of water into the streams coming down off the Long Mynd in times of heavy rainfall. This aims to reduce the volumes of water at ‘peak’ times and ‘even out’ the flows over a longer period, giving the watercourses, drains, gulleys and culverts a better chance of coping with the flow. This uses natural methods known as Natural Flood Management (or NFM for short), and might include leaky dams, ponds, swales and hedge and tree planting. To find out more about Natural Flood Management click here.
The second is to ensure that all the drainage ‘infrastructure’ across the Strettons, including open watercourses, gulleys, drains and culverts, are all working to their maximum capacity so that they can accommodate the peak flows of water in times of heavy rainfall. It is clear from the problems caused by the flood in September 2024, that much of our drainage infrastructure is operating at well below its capacity, due to blockages caused by debris, overhanging vegetation and stream beds choked with stones washed down from the Long Mynd over many years.
To manage and coordinate all the many actions that will be needed across all of the Strettons, we have worked with the National Flood Forum, one of our key partners, to prepare a Flood Action Plan. To view the Plan, click here.
The Strettons Flood Forum was formed in late 2024 after the significant floods in that autumn, which saw a highly localised flood concentrated on the village of All Stretton in late September, followed three weeks later by a more regional event which impacted the whole of the Stretton catchment. In both instances the floods caused damage to property and possible danger to life. All Stretton Weather Bomb! September 2024 Click here
The nature of the flooding events demonstrated how localised the reasons for, and impacts of flooding can be, hence the Strettons Flood Forum consists of three sub groups, Church Stretton, Little Stretton and All Stretton.
The Stretton’s Flood Forum is an umbrella organization established to coordinate the efforts of those groups involved with flooding issues, including runoff from the hills, road surface water, and sewage concerns, within the different Stretton communities.
How the Stretton group started:
An initial multi-agency meeting was held with representatives from Shropshire Council, Severn Trent Water, Highways England, The Environment Agency, Railtrack, and Shropshire Hills. During this meeting, questions from various communities were presented to these organizations, and the agencies have committed to providing answers.
With strong engagement from the local community, the Stretton Flood Action Group was established. The Forum has since been facilitating conversations between the group and key flood risk management authorities with the associations of the National Flood Forum.
The group has actively participated in the NFF process and, at the time of writing, has successfully held two multi-agency meetings. These meetings have enabled constructive dialogue between the community and relevant agencies. It is hoped that similar meetings will continue to be held on a quarterly basis.
To contact or become involved in the Flood Action Group, please post in the Stretton Floods Facebook group or email us at strettonsFAG@gmail.com. All our work is voluntary and we rely on donations from individuals, groups, charities and public bodies.
Who do the Stretton Flood action group work with:
National flood forum
Lead local flood authority – Shropshire council
Shropshire highways
Environment agency
Severn Trent water
Network rail
National highways
National Trust
and we’d like to thank the National Flood Forum for their generous support
The National Flood Forum is a charity that provides independent advice and support to people and communities at risk of flooding. They offer guidance on issues such as insurance, recovery, and flood preparedness, and help people navigate the often-complex processes involved. The Forum also works to ensure that the voices of those affected by flooding are heard by government, agencies, and other key organisations, aiming to improve flood policies and long-term resilience across the UK. The National Flood Forum has been working in partnership with the Lead Local Flood Authority (Shropshire Council) for several years and has supported the Stretton Flood Action Group throughout its efforts to establish a strong partnership with the flood risk management authorities. If you need advice, you can contact their helpline on 01299 403055