Reinstate flood plain proposal

Reinstatement of the flood plain at Uckfield is the long term solution to flooding problems in the town, representatives of the Environment Agency insisted at a public meeting on Thursday night.

Each time a question was asked of Sussex area manager Peter Midgley or area flood defence manager Rupert Clubb, the reply wound its way back to the need for movement backwards from the flood plain.

The two argued, at the meeting at the Civic Centre, that flooding was a problem we had 'almost created ourselves' through the build up of development on the flood plain and it was now very difficult to protect Uckfield.

The leader of Wealden Council, Cllr Rupert Thornely-Taylor, accused the Environment Agency of not taking the problems of Uckfield seriously.

Mr Midgley replied: 'We are taking things seriously by trying to work out realistic options and we must begin to think about how to open up the flood plain. It is a miracle we haven't had people killed in flash floods in the centre of Uckfield. There is no way we can control nature enough to stop some of these flood flows coming however good the defences are in the future.

'One gentleman was very lucky to live two years ago and there will be serious casualties if we continue to live, work and develop on the flood plain. We must consider opening it up.'

In the short term the Agency wanted to improve the hydraulics of the High Street bridge Mr Midgley and Mr Clubb said channel improvements upstream and work at the bridge itself could improve the flow of water.

A slide showed some of the services, contained in pipes under the bridge, which constricted the flow of water. They included sewerage, gas, water, electricity and fibre optics, and moving them might help the water flow more smoothly.

The Agency wanted to commission a scale model of Uckfield showing the roller mill and the High Street bridge, and pass water down it to look at how to improve the capacity of the bridge. The model would cost 50,000 to 60,000 and work on the bridge would cost in the region of 750,000. The proposals are to go to the Government organisation DEFRA for approval.

Other suggestions for improving flood defences in the town, like two from Wealden Council to build a bund protecting Olive's Meadow and a wall behind Somerfield, could also be tested using the model.

Mr Midgley said: 'We must make sure we are not simply pushing flood water on to other properties. If we are not careful a wall behind Somerfield could actually demolish the signal box and railway station. We need to test the idea to see if we are putting lives and livelihoods at risk.'

Len Ashby said the bridge needed widening to increase the capacity of water able to travel under it. The Agency's proposals were just 'tinkering about', he added.

Speaking after the meeting county councillor Chris Dowling summed up opposition to the Agency's plans saying the proposals for Uckfield were too little and inadequate.

He didn't see how the flood plain could be reinstated. 'Who in the world will say let's go to Uckfield if that is included in the structure plan,' said Cllr Dowling. In addition people would be trying to move out of town as quickly as possible, he said. 'This idea would be bad for the local economy, local jobs and local enterprise.'

Cllr Dowling said he favoured upstream storage and a barrier which would keep water away from shops, Olive's Meadow and from the industrial area.