Archive for February, 2005
February 28th, 2005 at 11:01am
Under Horley Master Plan
Britain’s insurance industry wants new homes built in the south east of England to feature innovative designs to minimise the danger posed by floodplains.
see the full version here
I will be interested to see if any innovative or otherwise designs will be used on the new housing proposed in Horley - doubtful as no one seems to be able to admit that there will BE a flooding problem. On a flood plain. OK.
New residents should be warned that they may have to have “washing machines on first floors” and electrical supply located above flood levels - how high might that be then? They also are advising testing “houses on stilts” to combat flooding - I fully expect the proposed houses in Horley that the new residents will be issued with the stilts and not the new houses.
Nothing would surprise me now.
By Jez
February 26th, 2005 at 06:12pm
Under Horley Master Plan
Flooding will be a massive problem in Surrey – says the County Council!
The latest issue of “Surrey’s Environment” contains a feature article on climate change, “The temperature’s rising … but so is the water!” Based on an interview with TV Weatherman, Bill Giles, the article explains that by 2050 Surrey summers will be on average 5 deg C warmer and the North Downs could be transformed to a Mediterranean landscape of vineyards, olive groves and goats grazing on scrub. The TV Weatherman further predicts wetter winters with many more extreme storms and floods. More importantly, with 60,000 properties in Surrey currently at risk from flooding, he stresses that in Surrey, “Flooding will become a massive problem”. Stark warning indeed.
Most readers will be aware of the controversy that surrounds the Surrey Structure Plan policy to build 2600 dwellings at Horley in the Upper River Mole floodplain. They will therefore be surprisd to learn that the publisher of “Surrey’s Environment” is none other than Surrey County Council. Worse still, on the very next page is an article about how the County Council aims to address housing need in Surrey and sports a picture of Peter Shadbolt, Principal Planner, Housing & Social Policy. Those who attended the Examination in Public of the Surrey Structure Plan will remember that this is the very County Council Officer who ignored our flooding concerns and recommended that Horley’s allocation should remain. I would strongly recommend that Mr Shadbolt read his employer’s magazine. Or is this all part of Surrey’s policy to deliver more affordable housing. I.e. to allow houses to be built in or adjacent to an area known to flood, anticipating that they will be devalued by flood risk!
Is it any wonder why Horley residents are angry and in a recent referendum, 98% who voted, objected to the housing plan. No doubt Government and the planners will ignore that too. At the Examination in Public I accused Surrey County Council of an ostrich-like approach to Horley. They continue to prove that their heads are still firmly stuck in the mud.
Horley Residents Association press release
By Jez
February 22nd, 2005 at 04:22pm
Under Horley Master Plan
Finally someone has issued what the proposed Horley Master Plan new houses will actually look like:- Horley New Estate
By Jez
February 19th, 2005 at 08:11am
Under Horley Master Plan
I found this article on homes flooding to be of interest.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/southerncounties/have_your_say/chertsey_flood.shtml
By Jez
February 18th, 2005 at 04:52pm
Under Horley Master Plan
is perverse that we have a situation where every councillor who stood up to speak agrees this housing development is fundamentally wrong, but, bar a few exceptions, is prepared to vote for it. Quite simply, this council has failed the residents of Horley.’
By Jez
Continue Reading memo from Crossoak Conservation Society
February 16th, 2005 at 08:19pm
Under Horley Master Plan
Nick Reeves, CIWEM’s Executive Director, said:
“It is entirely wrong that at present, if the Environment Agency’s objections to developing on a floodplain are ignored it is possible for construction to proceed, giving rise to properties that may become a threat to health and life, as well as uninsurable in the longer term,” he added.
See the whole article here Blue Belt Land - Flood Plain Land
By Jez
February 16th, 2005 at 08:13pm
Under Horley Master Plan
Q: Should all buildings on flood plains be constructed of flood resistant materials? A: Existing buildings need flood proofing. New buildings on flood plains need to have flood resistance designed in as well as flood impact designed out.
I wonder if they will be?
The excerpt came from a Powerpoint document I found online download it here It may take a while if not on broadband it’s 2.89 meg
By Jez
February 16th, 2005 at 07:50pm
Under Horley Master Plan
I found this link if you haven’t already see it it’s worth a look - it’s nothing new, it was a 2001 document but the heading made me smile!
The government has introduced tough new regulations designed to stop developers building on flood plains…
The floods and storms which devastated parts of the country last winter exacted a heavy toll. Around 10,000 properties across the country - largely in Yorkshire, the Severn valley and parts of the south east - were damaged and the final bill presented to the insurance industry amounted to £700 million.
For the full article go to Flood Plain Building Banned
By Jez
February 16th, 2005 at 01:13pm
Under Horley Master Plan
New rules giving members of the public better access to environmental information held by public authorities became binding on all EU Member States on February 14th 2005. Follow the link for more information.
http://europa.eu.int/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/05/173&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN
By Derek
February 15th, 2005 at 10:57am
Under Horley Master Plan
Horley flood risks
By Derek
Continue Reading Horley flood risks
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