Flooding stories

Flooding in a time of global warming is a real issue. In the new development, flood water which used to drain straight to the marshes is now supposed to flow along Harbour Road, go down the enormous monsoon drain which will be opposite Burrow Road and run the length of the development. In theory (and only in theory as global warming will put many theories to the test) this would keep the "island" development above flood water, although it would be isolated and the developers themselves say in the Environmental Impact Assessment that it would become a self-contained island surrounded by at least 3 ft of water and suggest two refuges with first aid equipment and possibly shallow draft boats or sea tractors to evacuate people. Good for them for thinking this through.

But where will the flood water go when we have this raised self-contained island protected by the monsoon drain (which, by the way also doubles as a "cycle route" and "public amenity space" because when it isn't raining you will be able to walk or cycle down it - not that the views will be up to much!)?

Does anyone remember the tidal surge of February 1979 which carried cars into gardens and down Beach Road, for example (very similar to the "mini-tsunami" late last year) and which had some people retreating to the higher floors of Harbour Road properties? A garage where Swallow Court is now was worst hit by it - I've seen the newspaper articles of the time.

Nasty experience but because the water found its way quickly to the marshes via the land which is now derelict, it was over relatively quickly, although clearing up after it took weeks. The houses in Blue Water Close were inundated with water (a minibus from All Hallowes Boarding School, which used to be at Rousdon, turned up and took everyone's carpets back to the school where they were dried in the school hall).

One scary thing was that the force of the surge dammed up the river mouth with shingle and effectively created a lake behind the dam which added to the problems of water coming along the seafront.

This was, of course, before the sea wall was built. Now that the sea wall is built the lowest point for a sea surge is by the Yacht club slipway, though Blue Waters Close is still the lowest point of Harbour Road. So what happens if there is such a big surge again now - what would happen for example if the sea wall is breached (remember at the time of last year's trunami the flood gates were open)? The water will no longer be able to run straight on to the marshes - it will run round the island, along Harbour Road, to the monsoon drain. Now that the sea wall is built the lowest point for a sea surge which does not breach the sea wall is by the Yacht club slipway so presumably some of the risk is now moved to the eastern end of Harbour Road, though the western end will still be the lowest point.

Where does this leave the properties on Harbour Road? Vulnerable. And what about their insurance risk? Well, OK for those people who are here currently and who have insurance that covers flood risk, but what about people who come here in future? The Association of British Insurers is so worried it held a Climate Change Conference in London in November 2006 and has launched research on coastal flooding which "stresses the significant expected rise in flood risk by 2040". You can read more at their web site: http://www.abi.org.uk/

In the meantime I leave you with this:

On 15 November 2006, Gregory Barker MP tabled the following EDM on Development in Flood Risk Areas (No 94). It has been signed by 99 MPs so far.

"That this House notes the findings of the research by the Environment Agency which shows that around five million people in two million properties live in flood risk areas in England and Wales; warns that the risk of both inland and coastal flooding in these areas will increase as a result of increases in the frequency of extreme weather events and sea levels rising due to climate change which could increase the number of properties at risk from flooding to 3.5 million; highlights the fact that claims for storm and flood damage in the UK have doubled to over £6 billion over the period 1998 to 2003; is concerned that more new developments are being situated in floodplains; and calls on the Government to take a more strategic and holistic approach to flood management and water supply by strengthening existing legislation concerning developments on flood plains, avoiding building new developments in high flood risk areas, ensuring that no new development goes ahead in at-risk areas unless it incorporates measures to mitigate the impact of flooding and devolving power over flood defences as closely as possible to community level".

I wonder if Hugo Swire has signed it?