Shoreham flooding sparks renewed calls for action - 'We cannot wait any longer'

Kevin Boram, county councillor for Shoreham South, said he, at midnight on Monday, ‘went down to see if the high tide had flooded’ Brighton Road.

"The road was closed to vehicles,” he said. “I spent 15 minutes stopping and warning traffic until the police arrived.

"Flood defences along this stretch of the road need to be built as soon as possible to safeguard residents, property and businesses.

"West Sussex County Council, Adur District Council and the Sussex Yacht Club have to agree a solution now. We cannot wait any longer.”

The Sussex Yacht Club, meanwhile, has ‘thanked everyone’ who was ‘on hand to support those affected by flooding’ in Shoreham.

The club said the events ‘highlight the urgent need’ for the flood wall to be built ‘as soon as possible’.

As flood water rushed through the Sussex Yacht Club premises during the early hours of Tuesday morning, a team of people worked through the early hours to do what they could to limit the impact of the water, supporting those affected by the flooding and attempting to prevent vehicles from putting nearby properties at risk of further damage by driving through flood waters.

Derek Copeman, commodore of Sussex Yacht Club said: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who gave their time and assistance in the early hours of the morning to support the community – we appreciate everything they did during what was a worrying time for all. We hope those affected are now safe, dry, and any damage is limited.

“Unfortunately, with sea levels rising, we will have to accept that incidents like this will become more commonplace, so the events of this week have been a stark reminder of the vital need for the flood wall in Shoreham. It is incredibly frustrating that the residents of Shoreham are still waiting for this work to be completed.”

A project is being delivered by Adur District Council, West Sussex County Council, and the Environment Agency to construct a wall that will ‘defend properties’ from the River Adur.

The Sussex Yacht Club said the project has ‘faced a number of setbacks’ since it handed over land in 2021.

An Adur District Council spokesperson said: “We’re committed to helping protect homes and businesses in Shoreham that are at risk of flooding from the river.

“We’re working with West Sussex County Council, Sussex Yacht Club and the Environment Agency on a project to build a wall up to 2.2 metres in height to defend dozens of properties from the overflowing River Adur during storms.

“However objections to the formal closure of a previously inaccessible public right of way that runs from Brighton Road to the shoreline, through the centre of the Sussex Yacht Club site, has delayed the scheme moving forward to date.

“Legally we would have to wait for a public inquiry to resolve those objections, which could take well over a year, so rather than delay the work further we plan to instead install a flood gate at the entrance to the right of way.

“We are currently amending our plans for the flood defences to include this gate, and will then go to Adur’s planning committee for approval. We want work on the flood defences to begin as soon as possible.”

Mr Copeman said: “We worked tirelessly over some years to hand over the land where our old clubhouse stood by the required deadline because we know how vital the flood defences are for our community. We hope that a resolution to the current engineering issues can be found swiftly.

"We are committed to doing all that we can to support that to happen, whilst keeping the safety of Shoreham residents, visitors and members of our club at the forefront of our minds.”