I read with interest the letter regarding the Chippenham Site Allocations Plan which was published on the Gazette & Herald letters page on June 25 (‘Plan is inconceivable’).

This prompts me to comment on what I believe is the most worrying issue relating to the allocations proposed for Rawlings Farm and east Chippenham: namely the serious environmental impact on Chippenham with increased risk of flooding.

In my view it is inconceivable that any authority would wish to approve the building of 1,450 houses adjacent to a flood plain with, among other issues, the fact that during an hour of heavy rain the run-off from such a development will produce more than two million litres of water.

This to be disposed of by a river system incapable of handling current volumes of water.

The River Avon has already experienced significant flooding in recent years.

Damage from such flooding has been recorded elsewhere, but I have personally observed an important effect of flooding which occurs in the field at the east side of the river at the north end of Riverside Drive (Chippenham).

Here a pylon carrying high-voltage electricity is located and, in consequence, is standing in flood water.

In the event of problems in the overhead cables it would not be possible for repair vehicles to access the site.

Kenneth Harrison

Riverside Drive

Chippenham