Severe flooding at a well-known problem hotspot in Uttoxeter has prompted fresh questions about how it will cope when more than 400 new homes are built on higher ground.
Heavy rainfall today in and around town has seen much of Hazelwalls Park submerged under standing water.
The park stands downhill from the site of the forthcoming Hazelwalls Farm development, where 429 homes will be built.
More than 300 people objected to the proposal before it was given the green light by planners last year – and many were worried about existing flooding problems being made worse.
Contrary to those concerns, representatives of developer David Wilson Homes claimed new drainage facilities would actually improve the situation.
But town councillor Martin Blencowe has now questioned whether a continually-blocking culvert has been considered.
He said: "After the first prolonged period of rain for a while, the ditch burst its banks just after lunch today and within 40 minutes or so had flooded the pitch and play area.
"It had come very close to reaching the top of the bund that once breached leads to road flooding and threatens the bungalows in Kingfisher Way.
"Prompt action by a local resident, seen here racking debris from the grill to the culver, averted the danger, having alerted the town council, who in turn contacted East Staffordshire Borough Council, we were pleased to see and officer who was in the vicinity within 10 minutes.
"He will be arranging to have the grill cleared yet again. It is the case, however, that it was only cleared the back end of last week.
"This is of course without the development yet to go ahead and will again give local residents concern as to how the culvert will cope once that is completed.
"We have been told there is sufficient capacity. However, do the future arrangements and the calculations on which they are based allow for the fact that this grill at the entrance to the culvert continually blocks up?
"Local residents need some reassurance that this problem has been addressed and the measures to be taken to alleviate the risk will in fact work.
"Permission has been given for the development but these practical issues must be addressed.
"Of course, this all happened in daylight. Had this been overnight residents would not be on hand to solve the problem in the same way."
A spokesman for David Wilson Homes Mercia said: "Throughout the planning process we have liaised with Staffordshire County Council’s lead local flood authority and East Staffordshire Borough Council to ensure that the development is designed in line with the latest best practice, and incorporates features such as sustainable urban drainage and land drains.
"As a leading house-builder it is important to us that our developments are carefully designed and the new homes at Hazelwalls Farm will not contribute towards a worsening of the current scenario."
East Staffordshire Borough Council’s planning committee passed the Hazelwalls Farm application and is responsible for maintaining parks.
A council spokesman said: "With regard to the issue of flooding raised by Councillor Blencowe, the flood risk assessment that accompanied the planning application stated that 'the management of the surface water on-site will help to alleviate some of the issues currently being experienced on the existing neighbouring development'.
"The application received no objections from the statutory agencies."
Hazelwalls Park is at the bottom of the Birdland and Herbland estates.
Where else are we seeing problems?
Large areas of standing water have been reported in Church Leigh and Withington and Wood Lane, Uttoxeter, has been described by one reader as "impassable".
Marchington has been described as "awful" and a flood warning has been issued.
A statement from the Environment Agency reads: "In response to heavy rain throughout Monday river levels have risen quickly on the Marchington Brook. Flooding to property is now possible in Marchington, particularly in the Church Lane area.
"Please take care in the area as flood water could be deep and fast flowing.
"The rain is forecast to clear away later tonight but river levels will remain high.
"We have field staff out in the area and continue to monitor the situation."
Parish council chairman Ian Morgan said: "Sandbags have had to be used, but it's been a magnificent effort by villagers trying to advise drivers of alternative routes.
"Church Lane was closed by us and the police after the brook burst out at the Dog and Partridge."
Another a reader said Bramshall Industrial Estate was "swimming".
The cinder path neighbouring Windsor Park Middle School, Uttoxeter, has areas of standing water.
The A522, between Uttoxeter and Fole, has also seen problems, with water running off fields into the road.
A flood warning has been issued in Tean and Checkley as the River Churnet and Tean overflow.
An Environment Agency spokesman said: "Rain has continued to fall over the River Churnet and Tean catchments today (Monday 12 March).
"This has resulted in the river levels rising in these catchments and we expect there to be flooding to low lying land and roads this evening.
"The forecast is for the rain to clear the area this evening, and tomorrow should be predominantly dry."
An area of standing water has also been reported near the Boars Head Hotel, in Sudbury.
And with the rain set to continue until midnight, according to the Met Office, those issues could get worse.
Elsewhere in East Staffordshire, the brook has burst its banks in Rolleston.
In Derbyshire, flood warnings have been announced by the Environment Agency in the Willington area.
