Wednesday 18th November 2015
Al Wright, writes ~
In 2009 the Environmental Agency (EA) made a recommendation to Wiltshire Council that a Level 2 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment was required for the Warminster area, to ensure that the flood risk infrastructure can cope, particularly with flash floods, and that development is not placed in an area at risk of flooding, or which will lead to increasing flooding in other areas.
The EA gave this advice because the Warminster area has suffered repeated flooding in various locations with little or no investigation to understand or deal with the causes. Without understanding the causes, the management of the risk through mitigation, ensuring property and more importantly Warminster inhabitants are kept safe is impossible.
With the significant increase in development around the town, I am deeply concerned that by not doing this assessment Wiltshire Council are allowing developments in areas where the flood risk is unknown. In addition, the process will increase the risk of flooding to new areas by removing the limited locations around Warminster capable of holding and absorbing excess flood waters, which are currently protecting us all and once removed cannot be replaced.
I urge Warminster Town Council to help protect its constituents by refusing development in areas with known flooding issues, until such time as Level 2 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment has been undertaken and it is clear which areas are essential to help prevent flooding, and which are safe to develop, as currently this is not possible, endangering us all.