A landlord living in Shropshire’s largest block of flats has vowed to stay put, despite his neighbours moving out during serious flooding.

‍Peter Hilditch, (pictured) a resident and director of Coton Manor (main picture), in Berwick Road, Shrewsbury, insists that the weather-battered building’s flood pumping system will protect it as levels at the Welsh Bridge stretch of the River Severn peaked during heavy rain.

Some residents of the block who have already moved out were similarly affected by floods in 2021 and 2022. This resulted in six pumps being installed along with custom flooding equipment for all entry doors, as well as state-of-the-art flooding vents to the basement which close when they detect water. Shropshire Council used funding from the government’s Property Flood Resilience Recovery Support Scheme to help pay for the work.

Floods

Hilditch, who has lived in the block of flats for nine years and experienced many floods, has faith in the flood defences. He told the BBC: “We have external and internal barriers as well, fitted to every individual ground floor flat. The main concern we have is the underground pumping system, we flood through the floor before we flood through the front door.”

A team of official flood volunteers have helped to put up the floodgates across doors, and others usually turn up to help, he says.

Hilditch adds: “We are our own little village here, we’re a 68-apartment complex, the largest of flats in Shropshire, and about 100 of us live here, we all get on really well.”