Wadley Road, Esther Road, King’s Passage – flood risk management scheme

As Wadley Road, Esther Road and King’s Passage were some of the worst roads affected by the serious flooding in summer 2021, the Council prioritised these roads for investment to tackle issues caused by heavy rainfall, reduce pressure on Thames Water’s infrastructure (drainage systems), minimise risk to residential properties, and enhance biodiversity.

The Met Office says, “four of the five warmest summers on record have happened since 2003, as the effects of climate change are felt on the nation’s summer temperatures”. With hotter, drier weather and increases in heavy rain and flooding, we need to find alternative solutions to storing and managing rainwater.

The design for the area included the following:

• Permeable surfacing: a permeable road was proposed to allow rainwater to filter through the carriageway surfacing and into the voided stone fill layer below the surface, which provides surface water storage. These stored volumes of surface water are released back into the Thames Water sewer system at a controlled rate over a period of time as capacity becomes available in the sewer network after the storm event has passed.
• Rain gardens: a rain garden is a Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SuDS) feature that provides an opportunity to use rainwater for irrigating plants and to improve drainage by filtering rainwater through the planted area into a voided stone-fill storage area. This stored rainwater is discharged into the sewer network at a controlled rate and when capacity becomes available after the storm event has passed. Rain gardens also provide enhanced amenities, with an improved ecological habitat with enhanced biodiversity and a generally improved appearance to the area.
• Rainwater planters (for residents): The Community Rainwater Management team, working with the National Flood Forum, tested out a method of distributed storage to reduce the impact of heavy rainfall on sewers. With Water Services Regulation Authority funding, we trialled the installation of rainwater planters, at no cost to householders. A rainwater planter is a type of water-butt, with the dual benefit of capturing rainwater for you to use on plants and your garden. These also have a planting tray on top for plants and assist reduce the impact of storm rainwater on sewers. 

Preliminary designs were developed for the three areas and presented to local people at a community drop-in session on Wednesday 25 May 2022. This provided an opportunity for the community to view the plans and make recommendation for changes to the design.

You can view the designs in the ‘Useful documents’ section at the bottom of this page.

Following the drop-in session, liaising with key stakeholders, and undertaking parking stress surveys in the area (which indicated there was sufficient on-street capacity to accommodate the changes) the designs for Wadley Road and Esther Road were updated and taken to the statutory consultation stage. 

Statutory consultation on the associated Traffic Management Order, changes to parking bays and yellow lines needed to deliver the scheme, took place between 20 October and 11 November 2022 and the plans were subsequently approved. 

The design for King’s Passage did not require statutory consultation as there were no changes to parking and yellow lines.

In May 2023, we wrote to residents to say funding had been secured for the Wadley Road scheme. A final statutory consultation was conducted from 9 May 2024 to 31 May 2024. Following this process, plans for the Wadley Road scheme were approved. 

The final plans can be viewed in the construction letter in the ‘Useful documents’ section below. 

Construction work for the Esther Road scheme took place between February and July 2023, and the King’s Passage scheme was constructed between September and November 2023.

Construction on the Wadley Road scheme began in October 2024 and was completed in April 2025. 

Construction for the Wadley Road scheme is expected to last approximately four months, starting in October 2024. 

It will be carried out in phases to minimise disruption as much as possible. 

Phase 1: Lytton Road to Temple Close Junction 
During this phase, access to Temple Close and Ripley Mews will be maintained from Colworth Road only. Please note that on-street parking within the work area will be suspended for the duration of this phase. 

Phase 2: Temple Close Junction (Critical Works) 
The works at the junction of Wadley Road and Temple Close will take approximately one week. During this time, there will be no vehicular access to Temple Close and Ripley Mews. Residents will be notified well in advance of the specific dates. Pedestrian access to all properties will be maintained at all times. 

Phase 3: Temple Close Junction to Colworth Road Junction 
Access to Temple Close and Ripley Mews will be maintained from Lytton Road only for the duration of this phase. 

For more information, please see the construction letter in the ‘Useful documents’ section below. 

Wadley Road construction letter, October 2024 (PDF)