In this report we explain how persistence has finally paid off for one resident on Herdwick Gate.

Sophie Dryburgh-Bockhart and her husband Andrew live with their young family on Herdwick Gate in a quiet spot overlooking the large communal space on the south side of the development.  They moved here from the Cotswolds four years ago taking advantage of a shared ownership scheme.

Less than a month after moving in they noticed problems with surface water running off the hill towards their property.  It was not the moving in present they wanted.  Flooding in her front garden was bad enough - coming up to the house and engulfing their gas meter, but on one occasion water came through the front door, damaging the carpet.

Sophie approached Platform Housing who (when they finally answered the phone) said they would look in to it, but ultimately they did nothing to help.

She called Customer Services at Taylor Wimpey Midlands who took details and then failed to act.  Sophie followed this up on a number of occasions with no success.  Finally in desperation in 2021 she found the contact details of a senior manager at Taylor Wimpey and appealed for help.

“They were quite shocked when they heard about our situation”, Sophie told us.  “Shortly afterwards they came and installed a French drain that should have taken the water away but as it turned out, it made no real difference”.

The flooding problem continued and was causing Sophie and her neighbours considerable anxiety; not knowing whether the next severe storm would trigger run-off that would enter their property.

Sophie told us, “And what is also laughable is that I was advised by Taylor Wimpey at seven months pregnant, in the torrential rain to empty my full recycling bin, drag it to the front of the property, find a saw, saw the down pipe in half, put the bin under the down pipe in the hope that it will catch the amount of water coming from the roof.  My husband nearly choked when I told him”. 

In 2023 Sophie raised the problem with local Town Councillors who offered advice and support.  They helped in practical ways, like sourcing sandbags, and also wrote to Taylor Wimpey on her behalf to put pressure on them to respond.  They considered writing to the local press.

Over recent months there seems to have been a change in attitude at Taylor Wimpey.  Following further representation from the Town Mayor and our Stratford District Councillor and with the Residents Association also involved we have finally seen progress. 

Contractors turned up on 14th October and have been digging out a channel for a new drain.  (See main image above).  It was discovered that one of the old drains was not even connected so water had nowhere to go.  It’s a story we have heard from other parts of the development and it makes you wonder how such poor work was signed off in the first place.

The scale of this work is significant - it’s a bit more than the previous 6 inch French drain, but as this is very much “Work in Progress” the jury is still out on whether this fix is going to do the job.  We sincerely hope it does because apart from anything else Sophie and her husband will soon be having another baby and the last thing they need is further anxiety from flooding.

Sophie tells us that they love Shipston; it’s a wonderful place to live but they have been less than impressed by Platform Housing and Taylor Wimpey.  “It should not have been this hard to get them to do the right thing but I’m happy they finally acted”.  

Sophie continued, “I hope my story might show others who have had similar problems that there is light at the end of the tunnel.  Persistence is the key.  And when dealing with Customer Services always get a reference number and a name”.

We wish Sophie, Andrew and their family all the very best for the future.  May this Christmas and New Year be a happy and dry one for them.

Have you been affected by poor surface water drainage?  Get in touch and tell us your story.  Contact the Residents Association.

 

HGHF-RA Committee

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