A DESPERATE nurse is at her wit’s end because her garden floods ‘every time it rains.’
Jeanette Renshaw, who lives off Greenleas Road in Wallasey, believes a development approved behind her house means water is now draining off into her garden.
Ms Renshaw told the LDRS her garden has flooded several times this winter and says “it is getting worse and worse each time.” Despite putting fencing in and other measures to try and hold back the water, none of this worked to protect the garden she’s had for four years.
She told the LDRS: “What we feared has just become reality. The ground hasn’t had time to dry out. It doesn’t have capacity. It’s flooded every time it rains at the moment but it doesn’t have anywhere to run off.”
The plans to build 13 new homes off Greenleas Close were unanimously approved by a Wirral Council planning committee in 2023 despite opposition from local councillors, a nearby school, and a number of residents. The project by Starship and Onward Homes is made up of 100% affordable with homes that reportedly improve energy efficiency by 300% to 400%.
Onward Homes said flood risk and drainage were considered in detail as part of the planning process, but said they would be pleased to meet with Ms Renshaw to understand her concerns.
Flood mapping done by Betts Hydro as part of the planning application process shows the lower end of Greenleas Road and parts of Leasowe Road as having potential flood risk. Another surface water map showed low risk of flooding in some back gardens but assessments argued the development would not increase the risk.
However the local flood authority had no objections to the development while Wirral Council planning officers believed it “would not increase the risk of flooding to the area.” They said the drainage impact was “not significant enough” to refuse the application.
Mrs Renshaw said they had worked on the property and the back garden as “this would be our forever home but now we can’t go into the garden. It’s one of my big passions going out into the garden but now I can’t walk on it.”
Working as a nurse, she said she had a stressful job and enjoyed going into the garden to wind down with her 11 year-old dog Monty, adding: “If I come home after a big shift, I now don’t have that release. I think people don’t realise how much the small things matter.”
She added:”I just feel more should have been done to protect the current residents. I appreciate they need more houses across this area but it’s frustrating.
“It’s sad that we feel we are being made to move out of an area where we live. There’s no consideration for the people who live there. I am sad to be honest, I really am sad.”
Responding to the complaints, a spokesperson for Onward said: “As part of the planning approval for the site, we carried out an extensive flood risk assessment to identify any flood risks and works needed to address these. A surface water drainage system was installed before the construction of any homes, which will manage excess water.
“In addition, at the request of residents, surface levels for all 13 house plots were inspected, assessed, and approved by the local authority during the construction process. No trees have been removed and we are pleased to be planting 14 new trees as part of the scheme.
“We would like to thank Mrs Renshaw for raising this matter and assure her that flood risk and drainage were considered in detail as part of the planning process. We would be pleased to meet with Mrs Renshaw to understand her concerns.”
A Wirral Council spokesperson said: “In submitting their planning application, the developer included a lot of information and research about flood risk and drainage which was considered as part of the planning application. In granting permission, conditions were imposed to ensure compliance with the measures the applicant had put forward to address flood risk and drainage, as well as submitting some further details, which they did.
“If there is any indication that the development isn’t being carried out in accordance with the approved documents and plans, then we could begin planning enforcement action, but further enquiries will need to be conducted in the meantime.”
