Radipole Lane at Southill, Weymouth Flooded Again!

Early this morning the Southill area of Weymouth was badly hit by flooding. All properties affected lie along the line of the arm of Radipole Lake that is for the most part, hidden beneath the ground.

At least 18 houses in Rowan Close were flooded, the shops on Radipole Lane and property in Mead Road also suffered. Garry who runs Tidings Newsagents said that the water was deep right across Radipole Lane at the point where it dips and when he got to the shop, it was that bad that the staff were trapped inside and he couldn't get in! Both the BBC and ITV have visited the shopping area and it is due to be shown on the news today/tonight.

The flooding has been reported in the news: Dozens evacuted as homes are flooded in Weymouth - Dorset Echo and on the BBC website: [Southill] Shopping Centre Hit By Flooding which they have since renamed "Seaside Town Hit by Flooded River". The picture they show with it is by Radipole Bridge over the Wey. It seems that the River Wey burst its banks at Radipole and that of course flows into Radipole Lake.

Update: Further news on the flooding at Southill is reported in Monday's Dorset Echo: Homes Evacuated After Floods

The arm of the lake runs beneath the A354 and into Southill just below Hornbeam Close. It then continues along what appears to be flat ground, running behind the houses in Rowan Close and beneath Southill Shopping Centre, across the green in front of it, where it goes off in two directions. One running beneath Radipole Lane to the rear of houses in Mead Road where it ends, and the other, beneath the road across to the former Post Office, behind which it emerges as something of a torrent even on a normal day.

This problem occurs frequently in winter, though not usually quite as bad as it has today. Drainage in the area is the main problem, coupled with the fact that there is always water there anyway. The drains get easily blocked and of course water will go to the lowest level it can find, which means the shopping centre is the most likely to be affected along with the dip in Radipole Lane.

It is this flooding happening so often that was the basis of the campaign of the Save Our Southill community land where Weymouth and Portland Borough Council wanted to use the land to build houses on. More about the campaign and the history of the land and flooding can be found on the link above.

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