Flood meeting gloom

UCKFIELD may have to wait decades for adequate flood defence measures, Wealden MP Charles Hendry warned this week.

Mr Hendry, who was speaking after a meeting with Environment Minister Elliot Morley on Tuesday, said the lack of Government action on flood prevention was a betrayal of promises given to prevent future flooding in the town.

The Conservative MP also described as 'disturbing' the Minister's view that removing buildings from the flood plain was the only long-term solution to flooding in Uckfield.

He said: 'It is clear from what the Minister said that there will be no start on flood defences for the town for some years. This is bitterly disappointing. The Minister and the Environment Agency want to build a working model of the town before deciding on what flood defences to build, and the contract to construct this model will not even be made until some time next year.

'Even when the Agency has decided finally what defences should be built, the Minister has said that we will still have to join the queue for work to be carried out.

'Realistically, this could mean several more years of delay. There was no recognition of the danger Uckfield would face in this time during heavy rainfall or the fact that homes and businesses could become uninsurable.

'Most disturbing of all is the Minister's view that the long-term solution is to remove the buildings on the flood plain, which would involve the loss of most of the Bellbrook industrial estate and as many as 1,000 jobs.

'The Minister could not say how this would be paid for, but made clear that he did not view it as a responsibility of Government to fund such a programme.

'He also does not recognise that a solution which could take thirty years or more to deliver is a betrayal of the promises he, and the Prime Minister gave, to prevent future flooding in the town.'

The meeting was arranged by Charles Hendry and was attended by Wealden Council Leader Rupert Thornely-Taylor, Uckfield Mayor Barrie Murray and Uckfield County Councillor Chris Dowling.