Residents fear homes will increase flood risk (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Residents fear homes will increase flood risk

RESIDENTS in Wootton Bassett fear their homes could be at risk of serious flooding if planning permission for new homes at Westbury Park is granted.

They say the 0.2 hectare site, between Westbury Park and the railway line, has always been prone to flooding.

Freak storms left some homes with water up to their windowsills on one occasion and the area has been inundated with water several times since.

Developer Westbury Homes said there will be less risk of flooding if homes are allowed because the causes will be addressed.

Wootton Bassett Town Council and residents opposed the scheme and last week a decision was again deferred to allow members of North Wiltshire District Council's development control committee to read the hydrology reports.

But after several years of discussion the Environment Agency has now considered the technical modelling reports and has formally removed its previous objections with regard to the risk of flooding.

But residents are still not convinced.

Miss Joan Peters, 47, of Westbury Park, said: "The developers say they'd actually be doing us a favour, but I don't believe that at all.

"Let them change all the pipes and then leave it for 18 months so we can see if it works and then we can decide if it's a good idea.

"We've got a little stream that runs behind the house and our main issue is why build on an area that floods.

"It would also take away some parking and the children use the area as a place to play."

Mr Adrian Griffiths, 41, of Westbury Park, said: "It's a bit ridiculous to build houses on an area that floods. All the water from Bassett comes down here and when they first built these houses that area was left for that very reason.

"Just before I moved in two years ago there was a flood and the water came right up to the back doors.

"The access down there is also pretty bad. It's only about 15ft wide and if cars struggle to get past each other how do you get emergency services there?"

A total of 15 neighbours have objected to the proposals saying it would be greenfield development and there would be potential damage to the ecology.

Residents also questioned the need for more new houses being built when considering the hundreds of new houses being proposed at the St.Ivel site.

Highways officers have so far raised no objections as vehicle access to the site is achievable and the full impact upon the highways would be appraised once a detailed scheme is submitted.

Westbury Homes' modelling report said it would be possible to remove the existing flooding problem while also releasing some of the land for development.

It said this could be done by removing the first short length of culvert and putting a trash screen across the open end to prevent blockage.

The balancing pond would be re-profiled in part to increase its volume.

North Wiltshire District Council's case officer has recommended that the outline planning application be granted.