Has Queensville (Ampleforth Drive area) ever properly flooded?

Barnsey

Active Member
Been narrowing down the area search for buying our first home, and Queensville (Ampleforth Drive area) is a good contender.

However, it's obviously very close to the River Penk, and the grassy area to the east always seems to have some flood water on it. Just checked the Environment Agency website, and it shows that an alarming number of houses there are at medium risk of flooding, one of the very few housing areas in Stafford falling under that category.

Prices certainly don't seem too bad for the area, so I'm assuming it's maybe because of the potential flood risk? So can I kindly ask those of you who've seen many a flood over the years here in Stafford, are you aware of any of these homes/roads on this estate ever being flooded since they were built in the 80's/90's?
 

Jonah

Spouting nonsense since the day I learned to talk
Not to my knowledge. My Mum has lived on the estate for 8 years, next to the field which floods and it’s not breached the road in that time.
 

Carole

Well-Known Forumite
Been narrowing down the area search for buying our first home, and Queensville (Ampleforth Drive area) is a good contender.

However, it's obviously very close to the River Penk, and the grassy area to the east always seems to have some flood water on it. Just checked the Environment Agency website, and it shows that an alarming number of houses there are at medium risk of flooding, one of the very few housing areas in Stafford falling under that category.

Prices certainly don't seem too bad for the area, so I'm assuming it's maybe because of the potential flood risk? So can I kindly ask those of you who've seen many a flood over the years here in Stafford, are you aware of any of these homes/roads on this estate ever being flooded since they were built in the 80's/90's?

I think that you might be asking the wrong question.

Instead of asking “have these houses ever flooded?”.... you should be asking “will these houses flood in the future bearing in mind the massive building of houses that is going on in Stafford in this area?”

You’ve only got to look at other areas that have never flooded before, but have flooded recently to see that there is a massive problem.

The water has to go somewhere.
If I were you then I’d be looking up the hill towards Wildwood area., water runs down.
 

proactive

Enjoying a drop of red.
I think that you might be asking the wrong question.

Instead of asking “have these houses ever flooded?”.... you should be asking “will these houses flood in the future bearing in mind the massive building of houses that is going on in Stafford in this area?”

You’ve only got to look at other areas that have never flooded before, but have flooded recently to see that there is a massive problem.

The water has to go somewhere.
If I were you then I’d be looking up the hill towards Wildwood area., water runs down.
An excellent point.
 

Tilly

Well-Known Forumite
Stafford is a sunken bog of loggerheads

Surrounded by greasy slopes of hope

Rising Brook - Prospect Road - there is no gold



Head for the Hills
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
This picture is over the back fence of a house on Ampleforth Drive - it once had two inches of water in the garage, but has never actually had floodwater in the house.

037.JPG
 

Barnsey

Active Member
I think that you might be asking the wrong question.

Instead of asking “have these houses ever flooded?”.... you should be asking “will these houses flood in the future bearing in mind the massive building of houses that is going on in Stafford in this area?”

You’ve only got to look at other areas that have never flooded before, but have flooded recently to see that there is a massive problem.

The water has to go somewhere.
If I were you then I’d be looking up the hill towards Wildwood area., water runs down.

Great point, and since it’s somewhere we’ll likely be for many years it’s really important to consider things getting worse and not just look backwards.

This picture is over the back fence of a house on Ampleforth Drive - it once had two inches of water in the garage, but has never actually had floodwater in the house.

View attachment 7712

Have to admit that’s pretty darn close, especially for a house actually on Ampleforth Drive. The other side might be safer but then you’re right next to the trains and power lines.
 

The Hawk

Well-Known Forumite
I think that you might be asking the wrong question.

Instead of asking “have these houses ever flooded?”.... you should be asking “will these houses flood in the future bearing in mind the massive building of houses that is going on in Stafford in this area?”

You’ve only got to look at other areas that have never flooded before, but have flooded recently to see that there is a massive problem.

The water has to go somewhere.
If I were you then I’d be looking up the hill towards Wildwood area., water runs down.
I am becoming more and more convinced that the Environment Agency doesn't understand flooding, which you would think would be a core part of their responsibilities.

There have been countless developments in Stafford, to which the Environment Agency have not objected, that have impacted on the floodplain and, as @Carole states, the displaced water has to go somewhere. Add to that the increased rainfall that we may well see, due to global warming, and I fear many more parts of Stafford will experience flooding than have before.
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
You’ve only got to look at other areas that have never flooded before, but have flooded recently to see that there is a massive problem.

The water has to go somewhere.

I remember a newpaper article a year/couple of years ago, where someone in Exeter street had lived there about 70/80 years and never seen the flood water reach his back garden until that year. This is close to the old South End Club on Silkmore lane which frequently used to flood (my mate used to run it ) and was replaced by the new housing . So the new houses (and Co-op) have just forced the flood water further along the road .

(And never believe house salesmen/sales women when they tell you it's not in a flood area. I knew damned well that the new build houses on Silkmore lane ,we went to have a nose around one day ,were on the old 'well known for flooding' South End Club site . With hubbys West Brom accent the salesperson assumed we didn't know the area as we asked if the area had ever flooded. Her answer "No, No, it's well away from any rivers and no history of this area flooding....." )
 

Barnsey

Active Member

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I do have a vague 'memory' of some houses in Ampleforth Drive being internally affected a few years ago, but it being down to the road drainage being blocked
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
The water was coming up from under the drains in the road a few years ago on main Lichfield Rd near to the Meadows estate. Not seen it happen since though.
 

Studio Tan

Well-Known Forumite
I went down to the shoreline on Ampleforth Drive (is that from a Bruce Springsteen song?) during the big flood in October. A woman told me she’d lived there for 20 years and never known it that bad - water was a few feet from her boundary. She added that she couldn’t use her washing machine at the time because the drains were full and it wouldn’t discharge properly.
 

Cue

Well-Known Forumite
Highly recommend Kingston Hill if you’re worried about flooding

Rest of Stafford will be underwater before we see anything
 

age'd parent

50,000th poster!
Highly recommend Kingston Hill if you’re worried about flooding

Rest of Stafford will be underwater before we see anything

And Coton fields, I can wave to you across the ducks swimming on the river way lake and watch the sunset over the town center sea.
 
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