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