Flood barrier to be knocked down

The Environment Agency have issued an enforcement notice

A flood barrier rebuilt without planning permission to protect a 16th Century home in Powys is set to be knocked down.

The defence, close to Trewern Hall on the River Severn near Welshpool, could divert water and put 30 other homes at risk, claim drainage experts.

An Environment Agency enforcement order to remove the barrier has been ignored although plans have now been submitted.

No-one from the Grade II-listed Trewern Hall was available for comment.

A retrospective planning application for the barrier, lodged by a Tom Till, has been placed with Powys Council, but Mr Till was also unavailable for comment.

The first phase of the work on the flood defence will see holes knocked through it.

There is a real worry that people in Pool Quay will be flooded when river levels are high Powys Internal Drainage Board

Families in the hamlets of Pool Quay and Wern, on the opposite side of the river from the hall, fear the embankment would force water into their homes when river levels were high.

They protested in the summer when work to strengthen and raise the height of the defence, known locally as the argae, started.

The Environment Agency is preparing to take action over removing the earth barrier.

A spokesman for the agency said: "The work has not been done and we will now be looking to do some of the work ourselves."

The Powys Internal Drainage Board has also served an enforcement notice, demanding action by 7 November.

Clerk to the board John Markwick said Trewern Hall - home of the Chapman family - had narrowly escaped being flooded in 2000 and 1998.

'Dragged on'

However, he was not convinced the new barrier would provide sufficient protection.

He said that it had been built 1.5m higher than the original and he was concerned water would be pushed to the other side of the river, putting nearly 30 homes and 1,600 acres of land at risk.

"There is a real worry that people in Pool Quay will be flooded when river levels are high," said Mr Markwick.

"This issue has dragged on, but we are determined that something must be done before winter."

Planning officers at Powys Council are recommending the application for retrospective permission is thrown out, but councillors have deferred a decision while more talks are held with the Environment Agency.