Council action on the Stray

Contractors employed by the council are currently carrying out drainage maintenance work on the Stray.  High pressure hoses are being used to clear out the pipes which carry water underground from the Botanic Gardens lake and beyond, across the Stray  (spanning Balmoral Drive, Lexton Drive and Rathmore Crescent) through to a culvert close to Preston New Road, where the water is channelled towards North Road.

We have had numerous regular on-site meetings over a number of years with council officers to make sure that this important work is carried out to avoid flooding and check on the state of the Stray, especially regarding repairing broken down road-facing fences and litter removal.  The general view, while not shared by everyone, is that the council's policy of keeping a wild woodland look is correct. This, for example, means leaving fallen tree trunks on the ground where they provide a natural habitat for wildlife.