An innovative housing development in the Cotswolds, once celebrated with a prestigious award, has become a living nightmare for its residents due to years of persistent flooding caused by a defective drainage system.
A Dream Home Turns Sour
The Buttercross Works estate in Witney, Oxfordshire, was hailed for its design, winning a highly commended prize at the Local Authority Building Control Awards in 2017. However, for homeowners like Charlotte Grant, the accolade rings hollow. She and her plasterer husband Kieron bought their brand-new home for £250,000 in 2014, envisioning a fresh start. Instead, they were met with immediate problems, from a collapsing kitchen sink to a non-draining bath, signalling poor workmanship from the outset.
The most critical failure, however, lies beneath their feet. A botched drainage system along the central road, Buttercross Lane, has left a significant section under near-permanent floodwater. The water only recedes after exceptionally long dry spells, revealing a wrecked brickwork road surface that turns into a mud bath and then a dust bowl.
Daily Hazards and Sleepless Nights
The consequences for residents are severe and ongoing. The flooded pavements become treacherously greasy, leading to frequent falls. Charlotte Grant, a 34-year-old mother of four who works in mental health, reports regularly helping up elderly residents from a nearby care home who have slipped. Users of motorised mobility scooters struggle profoundly, with one recent incident resulting in a serious injury after a scooter tipped over on a submerged curb.
Beyond the physical danger, the stress is relentless. Many residents complain of being unable to sleep due to the constant noise of vehicles splashing through the water at all hours. The pervasive anxiety and the filthy conditions caused by tracking mud and dust indoors have made life unbearable. "Living here has become an absolute nightmare," said Ms Grant.
A Ticking Time Bomb for Property Values
The flooding has effectively trapped homeowners. Neighbour Richard Wakefield, a photographer, echoes the desire to move but believes his house is now "worthless" due to its proximity to the flood zone. He highlights the dishonesty of trying to sell in a dry summer, knowing the fundamental problem remains unsolved.
Residents' attempts to find a resolution have been frustrating. They report being ignored by the developer, Bower Mapson. While intervention from the local MP prompted the council to send pumping machinery temporarily, this has ceased, and the flooding has returned with a vengeance. In a forlorn effort, Mr Wakefield and his children spent a weekend shovelling silt into buckets, an endeavour that only resulted in a back injury and no improvement to the drainage.
Compounding their worries are recent financial revelations about the developer. Companies House documents show that as of March 31 this year, Bower Mapson owes over £434,000 in debts, casting doubt on any remaining guarantees for the new-build properties.
District Councillor for Witney South, Michael Brooker, stated the situation was "completely avoidable" if the drainage had been installed correctly. For the long-suffering residents of Buttercross Works, that failure has transformed an award-winning development into a waterlogged prison, with their dreams and investments washed away.
