Inquiry launched into flooding

AN investigation has started to find the cause of flooding at the site of the ongoing £4m upgrade of Plymouth's Central Park ponds.

- By WILLIAM TELFORD

During heavy rain earlier this month, the ponds burst their banks and water flooded the surrounding area.The water has drained away now, but council chiefs are trying to find out what went wrong and how it can be fixed.

A council spokesperson said: "Over the past few weeks we have had a lot of rain, even by December standards.

"The Met Office tells us we've had just over 200mm already this month when the average for the whole of December is 125mm.

"Although the ponds have been successful in holding a lot of the runoff that used to flood the area entirely, we know that there is also a lot of standing water in the wooded valley and also in Reservoir Field.

"Clearly there is an issue somewhere and we're working to find out what that issue is and rectify it as soon as we can."

In its most recent update on the troubled project, the council said its teams have finished laying meadow and grass seed across Reservoir Field and on the playing pitches.