£1 million earmarked for defences for Doncaster estate hit by repeated floods

Residents in Clay Lane have been hit by several floods in recent years, with people living in the Jefferson Avenue and Wilberforce Road areas among the worst hit.

Now Friends of Clay Lane, the pressure group set up to turn around the fortunes of the estate, sandwiched between Wheatley and Edenthorpe, has announced the cash windfall which is aimed at stopping homes being hit in the future.

A spokesman said: “We have just been invited to a meeting at Doncaster Council with the council's drainage team, Stronger Communities and Yorkshire Water to discuss the plan for preventing flooding at Clay Lane and have good news.

Plans are to construct a 100m long dry shallow basin on an area known as The Bankings which will soak up excess rainfall.

There will also be absorbent pavements and large rain gardens installed, with planters in the road which will take excess water and which residents will be able to select which flowers are planted in them.

The statement added: “Yorkshire Water are currently investigating whether the sewerage is sufficient at Clay Lane and will look to upgrade this if deemed not.

“Doncaster Council are looking into getting us a storage container which FOCL can manage on The Bankings with sandbags in ready, so that in the event of a flood before all this takes place we can manage our own estate without waiting for external help.”

A public meeting will be held in January 2024 where Yorkshire Water will go through the designs for the estate and liase with residents.

The statement added: “This will be the single biggest change to Clay Lane since it was built and should finally put an end to our flood problems.”

The group was set up last summer by residents fed up of years of inaction on the post Second World War estate.

Spokesman Alex Chadburn said: “The aim of Friends of Clay Lane is to organise the community into action and put pressure on the council to resolve our issues. With continued growth and community spirit we can achieve the impossible.”