news story

25th June 2008

Residents and MP Fight Flood Plain Building Madness

Local MP Steve Webb with Chipping Sodbury residents showing photographs of previous flooding in roads off St. John's Way

In the wake of a Government report this week opposing plans for widespread building in the floodplain, local residents and MP Steve Webb are stepping up their campaign against over-development in Yate and Chipping Sodbury.

This week a report produced for the Government into last year's flooding has concluded that councils should avoid giving the go-ahead for building on floodplains wherever possible. Yet South Gloucestershire's draft 'core strategy' document earmarks for development areas north of Yate and east of Chipping Sodbury which are identified as high flood risk areas by the Environment Agency. MP Steve Webb and local residents are now to challenge the Council to revise its plans to reflect the latest guidance.

Steve Webb said:

"Common sense says that building on the flood plain is asking for trouble, and many parts of North Yate and Chipping Sodbury already have serious flooding problems. If we are to learn the lessons of last summer's floods it is vital that we do not add to the problem by mass house-building in high flood risk areas. The Council needs to think again".

Vayre Close resident Justin Littlechild said:

"Even with the existing number of houses we have flooding problems in the St. John's Way area. Building thousands more houses in the area would make the problem worse. It is incredibly short-sighted even to think about putting houses in an area that is so prone to flooding".

Earlier in the year Steve Webb held a public meeting at Chipping Sodbury town hall to alert residents to the Council's plans which was attended by over 200 people. Residents have now formed their own action group which is lobbying the Council to reconsider its plans.