Plan to demolish all homes where woman died in flood

Every house on a street where an 83-year-old woman drowned after water filled her home during a flood in Storm Babet could be demolished under new plans.

Maureen Gilbert died after her house in Tapton Terrace, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, was flooded in October 2023 when the nearby River Rother burst its banks.

At an inquest into her death, the coroner said the street - which comprises 26 houses and lies next to the River Rother - was as much of a risk to life as it had been when it first flooded in 2007.

Chesterfield Borough Council and the Environment Agency (EA) have said buying and demolishing the homes was the "only effective and viable long-term solution to keep residents safe".

The River Rother burst its banks at multiple points in Chesterfield as the UK was battered by Storm Babet.

About 400 properties in Chesterfield were flooded, including Gilbert's home, which is two doors up from the house she had been born in, and on the street she had lived on all her life.

Coroner Matthew Kewley gave a narrative conclusion at Gilbert's inquest in September 2025, and said he was issuing a prevention of future deaths report which highlighted the ongoing risk to residents in Tapton Terrace.

He added the street "remains vulnerable to flooding" and that this "gives rise to a risk to life, particularly in respect of residents who may be elderly, vulnerable or immobile".

The council and EA said alternatives to the purchasing and demolition of the houses "would not provide viable, long-term protection for Tapton Terrace properties, where the flood risk is already significant, as it is expected to increase because of climate change".

Residents have been contacted by authorities this week, with officials beginning a "process of tailored support" for each household, they added.

"Homeowners have been reassured that they will receive a fair market payment for their property, alongside compensation recognising disruption and loss," the council and EA, in a joint statement, said.

"Residents who rent their homes will also be supported and compensated for the loss of their home and the associated disruption."

No-one is being asked to move immediately, they added.

The inquest into Gilbert's death heard council workers - who were delivering sandbags to the low-lying street - had raised the alarm to 999 earlier that day that an elderly resident was in the property.

Gilbert's son Paul had later spoken to his mother by phone, and been told "the water is coming in". He lost contact and called the emergency services.

Fire crews and then a specialist water rescue team had attended and attempted to come to her aid twice.

However, due to the dangerous conditions, with high waters meaning the rescue teams were "fully buoyant" while trying to reach the property, falling light levels and difficulties gaining access to the property, a decision was made to leave the scene and return the following morning after the sun had risen.

Gilbert was found "floating in the water" by her son on 21 October 2023.

Labour MP for Chesterfield, Toby Perkins, said the news would be "bittersweet" for Tapton Terrace residents, "who continue to live in fear of a repeat of the terrible floods in 2023".

"It has become clear, following the coroner's report, that the risk to life, caused by the unique geography of Tapton Terrace was too great and that no workable solution would offer residents there the security they deserve," he said.

"This will be difficult for residents who have built their lives and memories here, but the evidence shows that there is no viable long-term way to make these homes safe. I also know from my own consultation with residents that most of them accept this and now want to move on."

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