St Neots Floods–Then and Now
By Paul Homewood
One of the worst affected areas during last week’s floods was St Neots in Cambridgeshire.
This was the BBC’s report last Wednesday:
A flood warning has been issued for St Neots in Cambridgeshire as Storm Henk takes hold.
Rising levels on the River Great Ouse could affect large areas of the town and its suburbs, the Environment Agency said.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cambridgeshire-67867122
The Environment Agency later reported that the River Ouse peaked at 1.83m on 5th Jan at 1.30pm. Property flooding is possible above 1.84m, according to the EA, so clearly it was touch and go:
https://check-for-flooding.service.gov.uk/station/6174
On the same day, Friday 5th, the BBC ran a live flood page:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-england-67886822
It included these snippets from St Neots:
It is evident from these photos that the Riverside Park did its job as a floodplain, and that the town itself remained dry.
We can contrast that with images of flooding in St Neots in 1947:
https://paststneots.wordpress.com/2014/06/27/1947-st-neots-flood/
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NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT 
You would have to drag up the past, wouldn’t you (sark).
As weir discussing a river shouldn’t that be dredging up the past?
Flooding at St Neots in 2007 January 14th, nothing changes.

As usual for me O/T, I could do with a link for suggested stories!
A decision by Scottish Ministers to grant planning permission for a wind farm on the habitat of an endangered species is to be challenged in a judicial review.
Wildcat Haven has raised almost £250,000 through donations in four years, which is how it is funding the legal fight. Its petition to save the Clashindarroch Forest in Aberdeenshire for wildcats has racked up over one million signatures.
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24031448.scottish-wildcats-aberdeen-wind-farm-decision-goes-judicial-review/
It is Paywalled unfortunately
Another link
https://www.wildcathaven.com/news/front-page-news-a-must-read
Great old photos — I wish I was familiar with the area.
One looks like the folks were exiting a pub – smiles all around.
Google Earth shows a new development — away from the flood
plain — called Wintringham. The Primary Academy is under construction in this view, 1.8 km {1.1 miles} from the river and 32 feet higher in elevation.
Historically, original villages located next to rivers; almost a necessity. Nice to see the change. I’d move if I could, being only a bicycle tire height above the water.
I’ve lived in the area for almost 40 years – I can’t remember a year when there WASN’T flooding somewhere in and around St Neots.
OK. Here’s a question for all you amateur (and any professional) lawyers out there.
The small parcel of land at the bottom of my garden (approx 80×60 feet) was always considered flood plain (about 15′ below my house) yet I own it and have title deeds for it (my boundary is defined as being along the centreline of the river). However, flooding of my lower garden is becoming more frequent because, imho, the EA have stopped their flood-prevention activities (clearing the river of debris etc) in favour of blaming AGW. And every time my garden floods I have to spend a couple of days clearing up all the debris washed down river to my garden, filling a couple of green wheelie bins, which I have to pay for, and then spending days flushing through my ornamental pond and rescuing my fish. All that costs money – 2 or 3 hundred quid.
So, Here’s the thing: would I have a claim against the EA for loss of amenity and costs? Can charge them rent for using my land as floodplain?
My amateur view is that as a ‘riparian owner’ maintenance of your side of the river is your responsibility, my guess is that responsibility also extends to the flood plain. My much smaller garden backs onto Stonebridge Pond and Westbrook. It was quite a relief to discover that Swale BC owns the bed of the brook and pond. SBC does nothing to maintain it of course so I am part of a group that does, good exercise and we got a QAVS (one of the last ones) presented by Lord Lieutenant as a bonus. EA’s failures might be subjectable to Judicial Review (at enormous expense) but eco-loon judges would probably find against you.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/owning-a-watercourse
Ahh, but you get to keep the flotsam as windfall. Ive collected two sets of picnic tables and chairs washed in from Thames river floods. After 6 months the driftwood also has dried and been added to my firewood piles.
Thank you both for v interesting replies. Cheers!