WORK could soon begin at the Cheney Manor Recycling Depot to combat the problem of flooding which has affected the site in the past.

During periods of heavy rainfall, the waterside depot has flooded bringing key council services to a standstill.

An assessment of the work has been carried out and has been found to be more serious than first thought because of a number of factors, including wildlife in the area.

Initially, when the work required was not thought to be as large, the problems were set to be dealt with around the spring time, normally one of the busiest periods for the recycling centre.

However, to minimise the disruption, especially with the likely increase in traffic, any flood alleviation works may be moved forward into some point in the New Year but it does mean there will be an added cost to the council.

A spokesman for the council said: “We have been assessing the works that will be needed to make sure that Waterside Depot, which is home to several council services operating across the borough, including waste collection and disposal, highways maintenance, and corporate property and housing maintenance, keeps pace with the growing demand on the services provided from it due to the growing population.

“We have carried out a range of detailed site investigations to build on the preliminary planning works.

“These have raised some issues that have not previously been identified, such as nearby habitats for wildlife such as reptiles, and shown potential opportunities for improving site traffic circulation for both visitors and staff.

“We are also looking at the benefit of doing several works at once to reduce the impact on the operation of the site. This may mean that works are undertaken earlier than planned, resulting in an earlier than anticipated cost, if it can be shown there is greater benefit in the longer term.

“No single issue is causing the cost risks – the council is simply taking the opportunity to plan works effectively and efficiently.

“The longstanding flooding issues and the alleviation works required are well understood.”

Also around the Cheney Manor area, further flood works are set to take place on the nearby roads which are being done at the same time as the transformation of Bruce Street Bridges.