STORM Katie slammed the area at the weekend, knocking down trees, flooding lanes – and highlighting Winchfield’s worst problem.

The heavy rains left parts of the area under water again – for the third time this year. Floods have already struck on January 4 and again on January 7, and then as recently March 9.

The Easter weekend storm battered much of England and Wales with heavy rainfall and winds of up to 106mph, recorded near the Isle of Wight. Flights into Gatwick and Heathrow were diverted. Some flights out were cancelled.

More than 200,000 homes were left without power nationally, though there were no reports of power cuts in the local area.

Not far away a kayaker drowned after he capsised in the River Wey.

Locally, Winchfield was hard hit. Taplins Farm Lane, Station Road and Pale Lane saw surface water make driving hazardous. A greenfield development site near Pale Lane was almost completely submerged.

Winchfield Parish Council said: “The floods will of course raise the issue of the suitability of Winchfield as an area for development, under Hart’s Local Housing Plan, and with four floods in the first three months of the year, locals are hoping it will finally make the district council come to their senses.

One comment online was: “Ideal place to build a ‘new town’! It comes complete with its own swimming pools.”