THE first phase of a huge new £13 million project to improve flooding in Builth Wells began last week – with footpath access around a popular town centre location to be shut off for the next five weeks.
Access to The Groe will be curtailed – while the town’s popular Parkrun course now has to be restructured at weekends – after Welsh Water improvements to the town’s wastewater network started on Wednesday, October 21.
The Groe footpath has been sectioned off from the access point at North Road down to the access point at Church Street, opposite Alpha Chapel, while an area of grass between the rugby pitch and the Gorsedd Stones circle has also been cordoned off for Welsh Water vehicle access and equipment.
The project is expected to take two years in total and will include constructing additional stormwater storage to help reduce the risk of sewer flooding and support improvements to water quality in the River Wye.
Welsh Water has confirmed that work is scheduled to last until December 2028.
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“Between October this year and December 2028, we’re investing more than £13 million in Builth Wells to upgrade the local wastewater network, including constructing additional stormwater storage to help reduce the risk of sewer flooding and support improvements to water quality in the River Wye,” a Welsh Water spokesperson said previously.
“We recognise that a project of this scale will result in temporary disruption while work is carried out.
“However, these improvements will deliver long-term benefits for the town and local environment for years to come.
“Throughout the last year, we have been working closely with the local authority and local stakeholders to carefully plan our work so that we can keep disruption to residents, businesses and road users to a minimum throughout the project.”
Welsh Water held a drop-in information event at the Strand Hall on October 19, where the project team were available to answer any questions local residents had about the work.
Although disruptive, residents living in Builth will at least be glad to finally see some action being taken over flooding, as during the heavy rainfall during the autumn and winter months, especially in recent years, the town has been besieged by flooding issues.
The mammoth project will see work carried out at 10 separate locations around Builth. This initial phase will see the Groe access curtailed until November 25.
After that, the first areas to be addressed will be Park Road and Broadway, which will see the roundabout there shut as work gets underway.
Garth Road will be two-way traffic, with no parking on the road in Garth Road. There will be a HGV diversion away from town so no HGVs are going through this area. This phase will take place between December and January 12, 2027.
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