Roads in Chideock to be closed for sewage works next week

It comes as residents of the village are still waiting on works to begin to stop the road from continuously flooding.

Two roads in Chideock will be closed next week as Wessex Water prepares to carry out sewer relining works.

Pettycrate Lane will be closed between its junction with Sea Hill Lane and St Marys and Mill Lane between Walbridge House and a point around 50 metres west will be closed from 8am until 6pm for five days.

The works will take place on Pettycrate Lane and Mill Lane (Image: Dorset Council)

The works will begin on Monday, January 29 and last until Friday, February 2.

A public notice for the works says this will "enable Wessex Water safe access to carry out a flood alleviation project".

But a spokesperson for Wessex Water confirmed the works are not directly related to local issues of flooding in Chideock.

Residents of Sea Hill Lane have seen their road subject to flooding for nearly two months since large-scale flooding hit west Dorset in early December.

The flooding caused debris to block a small stream on the road, diverting its path into the road, which has caused the road to flood again every time it rains.

Flooding on Sea Hill Lane on New Year's Day (Image: Supplied)

Dorset Council previously said Highways Officers would be supporting the Flood Risk Management Team in the new year.

A spokesperson for Dorset Council previously said: "This is a difficult and complex land drainage issue, and there are no short-term fixes.

"The problem needs an engineering solution which takes time to design and implement.

"Given the recent weather, the problem appears to be linked to high rainfall and subsequent surface water run-off from nearby fields, which is largely unavoidable in a steep-sided catchment area such as this.

"Our Highways officers will be supporting the Flood Risk Management team in the new year to progress this work.

"We will also be liaising with local landowners to remind them of their responsibility under the Land Drainage Act to clear watercourses within their land."

"Dorset Council is fully aware of the issues encountered at Sea Hill Lane and sympathise with those who have been impacted by flooding."

The council confirmed officers visited the flooded road most recently on Monday, January 22 and have begun to remove stone and silt from the open watercourse channel.

A spokesperson for Dorset Council added: "Dorset Council’s Flood Risk Management team is continuing to work with Highways officers to consider available options to reduce flood risk at Sea Hill Lane, both in the short and longer terms.

"This will include the fitting of a suitable screen/grille to the culvert inlet to help prevent further blockages to the culvert."

They added: "We plan to carry out two investigatory dig downs in early February."