The Quorn Flood Alleviation Scheme

The Quorn Flood Alleviation Scheme was constructed in the early 1990s as part of the Soar Valley Improvement Scheme and is designed to protect the village of Quorn against major flooding from both the River Soar and the Quorn Brook. Protection to a 1 in 100 year standard is provided by a combination of flood banks, flood walls and channel improvements designed to harmonise with the surrounding environment.

The Soar valley has suffered frequent and extensive flooding since the late 18th century. Depths of up to one metre were not unusual and houses, businesses and farms have all been affected, some at least once a year. Notable floods occurred in 1932, 1947 and 1977 affecting many villages between Leicester and the River Trent, some more severely than others.

The Soar valley has suffered frequent and extensive flooding since the late 18th century. Depths of up to one metre were not unusual and houses, businesses and farms have all been affected, some at least once a year. Notable floods occurred in 1932, 1947 and 1977 affecting many villages between Leicester and the River Trent, some more severely than others. Most roads across the Soar valley were subject to flooding, often several times a year. The need for an improvement scheme was recognised many years ago but the conflicting requirements of navigation and drainage in the River Soar made it extremely difficult to assess accurately any large scale schemes for reducing flooding. However, in the 1970s developments in computer technology made it possible to set up a mathematical model of the River Soar between Leicester and Redhill. The former Severn Trent Water Authority commissioned Hydraulics Research to make a computer simulation of the River Soar and test the proposed flood protection measures.

The proposed measures involved, amongst other work. changing the navigation levels in the River Soar and consequently it was necessary for severn Trent Water Authority to promote a Private Bill in Parliament before proceeding with implementation The Bill covered the entire project, included many measures to minimise adverse impact on the enviroment and finally received Royal Assent in December 1983. The work was approved and financed by the Severn Trent Regional Flood Defence Committee. with contributions in the form of Grant Aid from the Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food.

Work on the scheme commenced at Redhill in 1984 but, by 1988 the changing agricultural scene prompted a reappraisal which concluded that the benefits available from improvements upstream of Quorn village were insufficient to make them economically viable. Consequently, in July 1989, the Regional Flood Defence Committee took the decision that the upstream limit of the scheme would be Quorn, not Cossington as originally proposed. The Soar Valley Improvement Scheme was finally completed in October 1995 at a total cost of £10 million.

The flood defences in Quorn village consist of two principal elements; protection against direct flooding from the River Soar and protection against direct flooding from the Quorn Brook. Between the two elements is the Quorn Town Lands park which is intended to flood and act as storage during larger events. If this land were not available then the defences in the middle of Quorn village would have to be much more extensive in order to retain the amount of water involved.
Protection against direct flooding from the River Soar is provided by a series of linked banks and walls which run from high ground behind properties on Leicester Road. through the grounds of the Quorn Country Hotel, to School Lane Bridge and then from the bridge, around Stafford Lodge Nursing Home and neighbouring properties to meet School Lane opposite the Primary School, with a further line through the gardens of Soar House Nursing Home and neighbouring properties, alongside Soar Road, eventually connecting with high ground near Quorn Hall
Protection against direct flooding from the Quorn Brook is provided in a similar manner by the wall at tile rear of Station Street car park, which links high ground at The Dower House with the culverts under Quorn Mills and Leicester Road, and the walls and banks from Leicester Road, through the Memorial Gardens and behind the properties on Meeting Street, to high ground near the entrance to Quorn House.

Channel improvements were carried out on the Quorn Brook between Quorn Mills and the River Soar to remove obstructions and enable more efficient discharge. A new relief culvert was constructed beneath the car park to provide additional flow capacity and downstream of School Lane the channel was realigned to remove a number of restrictive bends. In conjunction with Leicestershire County Council School Lane Bridge was rebuilt with an improved road alignment and larger openings for the Quorn Brook.

All the floodbanks are surfaced with grass, which can be mown or grazed as appropriate, and wherever possible walls and hard defences have been constructed using local materials so that they blend in with adjacent properties and the village in general. Visitors and new residents may not be aware that some of the granite stone walls in Station Road car park, along Soar Road and School Lane, and around the Quorn Country Hotel are actually flood walls and not just ornamental. In some locations, space restrictions andstrength requirements did necessitate the use of heavy engineering solutions such as steel sheet piles, but these have been well disguised so that they do not intrude unduly into the landscape.

Where defenses pass through the grounds of residential and other properties, extensive consultation and some intricate design work were required to ensure that residents and owners would continue to have full use of their properties, whilst remaining protected against flooding. Solutions range from straightforward ramps and steps to terraces and even steel doors. Surface water and drainage from the 'dry' side of the defences are catered for by pipes fitted with flap valves and standby penstocks to prevent reverse flow. Regular inspections and maintenance by Environment Agency operatives ensure that all components remain in working order and ready to operate in the event of a flood.

Throughout the preparation, design and construction of the works, there were extensive consultations with local and national bodies to ensure that the completed scheme followed the original requirements of the Private Bill and minimised the impact on the environment. A number of areas were landscaped to restore scenic vegetation and natural habitat for wildlife.

Work and planting were also carried out in the bed of the Quorn Brook to maintain andimprove the aquatic environment and ensure that the watercourse will remain an amenity and asset to the village for many years to come.

The Quorn Flood Alleviation Scheme was an opportunity to provide protection for a community in a sensitive and environmentally responsible manner. The work carried out gives the necessary standard of defence without detracting from the amenity value of the village and the watercourse. The end result hopefully shows that the Environment Agency is worthy of its motto "Guardians of the Environment".