Will It, Won’t It – River Watched Nervously At Millmead

Published on: 2 Jan, 2014
Updated on: 2 Jan, 2014

View from the footbridge at Millmead this morning at 1015, looking north – Lorimer Burn.

Council Officers were observed watching the River Wey closely at Millmead this morning (January 2) as flooding started once again of Millmead car park.

One reader reported that an officer had told him, at around 10 am, that the river was still rising at the rate of an inch an hour and was due to peak mid afternoon. A PCSO on duty to prevent drivers who had ignored the closed sign at the entrance to Millmead said: “It is definitely still rising. It has got higher since I have been standing here.”

The level was still just below the top of the lock gates but was still gradually rising.

The level was still just below the top of the Millmead lock gates but was still gradually rising.

The Environment Agency website showed that no alert had been issued for the River Wey at Guildford, Riverside Park Nature Reserve and Jacobs Well but an alert had been issued for the Upper Wey, down to Peasmarsh, yesterday (January 1).

Advice included was: “The river and flooding forecast is as follows: River levels on the River Wey are rising in response to the recent rainfall. Further flooding of low lying areas is expected. No property flooding is currently expected.

“The latest weather forecast suggests that a largely dry day can be expected today, with the prospect of some showers later this evening. Further rain is forecast for tomorrow.” The message was dated 11:19 on 02 Jan 2014.

The view southwards towards the boathouse – Lorimer Burn.

Another view from the bridge to Millmead car park.

River water just lapping over the top of the bank.

Debenhams reflected. Customers in their cafe were seen enjoying a grandstand view – Lorimer Burn.

This pedestrian was not going to let 10 inches of water put her off.

An ambulance on an emergency call to deal with a cardiac arrest in Millmead makes it through.

Canoeists enjoying the challenge of the fast flowing water.

Some vehicles were still seen ignoring this sign and had to be turned back by a PCSO.

Some vehicles were still seen ignoring this sign by the entrance to Millmead and had to be turned back by a PCSO.

Responses to Will It, Won’t It – River Watched Nervously At Millmead

Ian Cornish Reply

January 2, 2014 at 12:47 pm

At 12:18 today, the environment agency issued a flood warning for Guildford…
Mary Bedforth Reply

January 2, 2014 at 1:39 pm

Thanks Dragon.

As Mr Parke said earlier –

‘The Situation Today

It is however perhaps quite surprising that despite the floods of 1968, and subsequent flood warnings along the Wey in more recent times, that little has been done by way of improving flood control along the river.’

from http://www.weyriver.co.uk/theriver/getknow.htm#40YearsFlood

Wasn’t it a brilliant idea to build the council offices adjacent to a river in a low lying place where it can get cut off. When did the council move from Upper High Street to Millmead? In the 80s?
Bernard Parke Reply

January 2, 2014 at 5:03 pm

Millmead was the home of the former Guildford Rural District Council.

Guildford Borough was domiciled in the Upper High Street.

Following the Local Government Act of the early 1970s both borough and district were merged and for a few years both offices were used.

A new block at Millmead was built and eventually the High Street offices were closed.

The cost of the new build was a controversial issue at the time as the price was in the region of £4 million.

However, this was quite a modest at the time as the new Waverley Borough Council office block in Godalming was in the region of £7 million.

When Lord Nugent opened the new block at Millmead he likened it to the grand municipal buildings in Venice!
Bibhas Neogi Reply

January 4, 2014 at 4:08 pm

The site of the council offices was our car park when I was working in South East Road Construction Unit in the early 70s.

The walk to and from the car park was pleasant and the surrounding area was quite natural. With recent flooding, the area is looking vaguely like Venice! Would this be a selling point now that there is talk about replacing these offices by residential buildings? I wonder though if this is cost-effective way of building homes.
Caroline Reeves Reply

January 7, 2014 at 2:32 pm

The council offices have been and are still accessible from Lawn Road and Buryfields.