Ipswich road fears more flooding after Met Office warning

Anglian Water is currently investigating the cause of persistent floods, that have affected Ashcroft Road, to the north of Ipswich, for years.

There are concerns that excess rainfall may cause the road to once again flood this weekend as the Met Office has issued a yellow heavy rain warning for Suffolk from 9pm on Thursday to midnight on Saturday. 

The water level on Ashcroft Road reached around a foot deep earlier this year, with gardens damaged and the street almost impassable due to heavy rain.

Resident Michael Goad had to put up defences to stop water from coming into his house. (Image: Tom Cann)

Resident Michael Goad shared his concerns about the future after flash floods in May made him set up defences to stop water gushing into his home.

Mr Goad said the flooding had been going on for "50 years" whenever there is heavy rainfall, and "nothing has been done" about the street's drainage problems.

Flooding on Ashcroft Road in May (Image: Hilary Bond)

Gardens were also flooded earlier this year (Image: Hilary Bond)

Ipswich Borough Councillor for Castle Hill Ward, Sam Murray, agreed that flooding has been affecting the road, particularly at its junction with Fircroft Road, for years.

Cllr Murray said: "With the weather warnings we have been issued, there is a possibility that it may flood in the next few days. There were reports that it was looking like that on Thursday (October 12).

"Anglian Water will be doing further investigations next week, and I will be attending because the issue has been going on for so long now. It has been encroaching on people's homes.

Ipswich Borough Councillor for Castle Hill, Sam Murray (Image: Newsquest)

"It is very much an Anglian Water issue and they need to invest. I have also asked them to look into if the new Henley Gate development will impact the flooding.

"It is making the lives of residents a misery, as anyone's life would be if their garden is completely flooded or it has entered into their home."

An Anglian Water spokesperson said: “We know flooding can be devastating for communities, and that’s why our teams work hard across the region to ensure our sewer network is running as it should and can take excess rainwater away as quickly as possible.

"But flooding is often an extremely complex issue with many different owners for the drainage network such as Highways, local councils and even private owners, as well as ourselves.

“We’re currently working with Suffolk County Council to investigate the cause of this flooding. Our local team will be visiting Ashcroft Road next week to determine what can be done to prevent it, both in the short term and for years to come.”