Local Councillors Challenge Government Minister Over Flooding In Springhead

A group of Oldham Councillors are challenging the government minister for Water and Flooding, Emma Hardy, regarding a watery legal blackspot in Springhead.

Residents have been left to face repeated flooding in a section of land near Rivington Road. 

The route, which is used by residents to get from Rivington Road to Cooper Street, has been causing problems for local residents for a number of years. Resolving the flooding issues would “make it easier” for parents and children to get to Knowsley School.

However, as the owner of the land is unknown, Oldham Council have advised that they cannot investigate the matter as they have no legal duty to do so. 

Local Liberal Democrat councillor, Garth Harkness, said: "This is a complete blind spot for the law. Everyone wants this fixed, but without finding the owner – and we don't even know if there is one – we are being told that the Council, the Environmental Agency and United Utilities are all stuck.

"There has to be a way of resolving this, so we've written to the Minister and asked them to investigate a way of giving one of the statutory bodies legal powers to intervene in this situation."

The situation has been ongoing for a number of years, with poor records of where the drainage and sewage runs in the area, the information about what is causing the problem is restricted.

Councillor Alicia Marland added: "We're trying to improve access to the schools on Cooper Street, with various schemes being introduced to make it safer for families to walk, wheel and cycle to school.

"However, it is wildly frustrating to get told that no-one has the powers to fix a problem that affects everyone.

“The council is not the legal owner of this area of land and therefore riparian ownership applies. Whoever owns the land through which the watercourse flows is responsible for the maintenance of it. The problem is there is no registered landowner."

Oldham council was contacted for comment.