Environment chief slammed

Earlier this month, the Sussex Express revealed how the Environment Agency's chief officer in Sussex, Peter Midgley, had challenged the district council to show 'leadership' by moving the Bellbrook Estate or face seeing 'flooding, disruption and possibly death' in the town.

In a letter to Wealden District Council, Mr Midgley claimed that companies on the estate would soon be unable to secure insurance cover because of periodic flooding, ultimately leading to the failure of the business park.

However, his comments were this week slated as 'ignorant' by the boss of Uckfield's major commercial estate agents, Lawson Commercial.

Chris Lawson said: 'A couple of weeks ago, a story about the re-introduction of the flood plain in Uckfield was front page news in the paper.

'Seldom have I seen such a stupid, daft idea which has been suggested by Peter Midgley of the Environment Agency. Only someone who was totally ignorant of insurance matters and the commercial property industry would make such a stupid proposal.

'Mr Midgley seems to think that businesses on Bell Lane that have been flooded will vacate their premises because they will not be able to get insurance cover. This is totally untrue.

Excess

'Landlords and people who own their own freehold buildings will still be able to get insurance cover for their properties. Many will find that there is a higher excess if there is damage to the building caused by flooding. But still the buildings are insured.

'Even if you accept that Mr Midgley might be right and the only way to solve the problem would be to reintroduce the flood plain, who is going to compensate all the owners and tenants? It will cost millions and millions of pounds to buy up the freehold factories and to compensate occupiers. Where will that money come from? The county council? The district council? The Environment Agency? If there was that much available for such a plan it should be spent on flood protection works, not wasted on such a crackpot idea.

'It does no good for the town, the viability of the business park or to the welfare of the people who work here to have people like Mr Midgley making such factious comments which denigrate our town.'

A spokesman for the Environment Agency replied: 'An important announcement is expected shortly from Defra regarding the Ouse strategy when many of the issues raised in Mr Lawson's letter will be addressed.'