CONSTANT flooding and foul smells are causing a stink for Wivenhoe residents.

For the past six months, Clifton Terrace and Chapel Road have suffered flooding, leaving pools of water for residents to clear.

Local councillors Rosalind Scott and Julie Young (Lab) have been in touch with the Environment Agency, the Sustainability and Resilience team at Essex County Council and the floods team.

Residents had already called Anglian Water and experts are coming out to look at the issue. It was thought the flooding may be due to inadequate drains in the Town Council car park.

Rosalind Scott said: "The flooding is a terrible nuisance and stops people getting in and out of their homes and businesses without boots on, but now that foul water is coming up onto their paths and into their gardens it is an urgent problem."

Concerned resident Tim Sherwen said when there is heavy rain, the drains in the council car park pump out water instead of taking it in.

He said: "This then flows in large quantities straight down Clifton Terrace and into Chapel Road past the Sentinel Gallery and on to create a wide deep pool right across the road in front of Clifton House.

"For the past six months water has also pumped out of the drains in Clifton Terrace.

"This is foul water adds to the stream from the car park as it joins the flow."

He said it has resulted in the road surfaces eroding, obstruction and inconvenience to residents.

He added: "There is serious danger to health from the stinking foul water which flows and settles for significant periods of time.

"Clearly this effects all users of the roads and especially the residents of Chapel Road, one of which is the Curry House, whose deliveries of foodstuffs to its kitchen access, takes place several times weekly."

The Town Council said it was an issue with the car park drains and have contacted Anglian Water. The council is now waiting to hear back from the company about what action is being taken.

An Essex County Council spokesman said: “A team led by Essex County Council is carrying out investigations to determine the cause of the problems and what should be done to alleviate the problem with surface water at Clifton Terrace.

"The Environment Agency, Anglian Water and Essex Highways are fully involved.

"The EA has led underwater camera investigations and planning meetings have been held. Surface water is not usually unduly smelly, so if there is a persistent problem with very strong-smelling water this should be reported urgently to Anglian Water who are responsible for the foul sewerage system.”

An Anglian Water spokesman said the team visited earlier last week and the engineers surveyed the foul sewer and found it to be working as it should.

They said: “At this stage, we believe the issue is being caused by blockages in the road drains and gullies in the area, which are the responsibility of the local Highways Team.

"We have spoken to them and updated the Town Council and will continue to work with them both in order to ensure the issue is resolved as quickly as possible.”