The Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions is facing a damages claim of more than £1m after the floods of winter 2000/2001 led to a Aylesbury swimming pool being filled with contaminated water.
A culvert taking Bear Brook under a road near the site of the new leisure complex flooded in October 2000 and again in February 2001, causing extensive damage to work on site.
After the second flood, the Environment Agency removed 20m³ of debris and rubbish, allowing the brook to flow freely through the culvert, and, two days later, installed a trash screen and dredged the bed.
The flood caused extensive damage to the basement plant room at the complex in Vale Park, Aylesbury, and to prevent the floating floor of the competition pool from breaking up, the developer deliberately flooded the swimming pool with foul water on the advice of structural engineers.
Subsequent cleaning costs for three swimming pools at the complex, the need to replace landscaping, and other damage caused by the water cost more than £860,000, and Letchworth-based Willmott Dixon Construction is suing the Secretary of State for damages to recover that money, plus expenses and possible further losses.
The developer claims that the culvert had not been inspected for seven years, prior to the second flood, and is accusing the Secretary of State of negligence and breach of duty of care, claiming that he should have arranged regular inspections to remove debris and rubbish from the brook..
PLS News 8/11/01
