MEETING HEARS CALLS FOR END TO HOUSING PLANS

MORE than 100 concerned residents attended a public meeting to discuss proposals for a further 79 houses in Mitton.

About 150 crammed in the hall at Mitton Manor Primary school on Friday to have their say about the controversial plans.

A planning application has been submitted to Tewkesbury Borough Council by Pettifer Estates to build the extra houses on land off Bredon Road, next to the floodplain.

Building is already underway for 305 houses and a retirement complex on the land, which is near the River Avon.

Residents are worried these new proposals will put even more strain on the sewerage system.

There are also fears they will increase flooding in an area still recovering from the July deluge.

Chairing the meeting was Borough Councillor Elaine Hancox. Also there was MP Laurence Robertson, borough councillors Claire Wright (Con, Proors Park) and Brian Calway (Con, Priors Park), and Rex Thomas, development and control engineer for the Environment Agency.

Coun Brian Calway said: "We need the Environment Agency to give us an accurate assessment of how the rivers flood.

"There have been very few objections from them about these proposals and that is wrong.

"And there have been many concerns from local people and they have not been taken notice of."

Dave Witts, from the Severn and Avon Valley Combined Flood group, said the borough council planning committee were allowing the developer to go ahead and do what they want.

"I am speaking on behalf of the Mitton residents and it has been shown the site is a flood plain, you cannot build on a flood plain," he said

Doug Scott from the Winyards Community Association added he felt the proposals were ludicrous.

He said: "If they continue to build on flood plains they are not going to insure us anymore.

"The houses will be worthless and cause us more hassle.

"They are talking about where we live and our livelihood and everything we have worked hard to achieve will be wiped out because the Government doesn't recognise if they are building here where is all the water going to go."

MP Laurence Robertson said residents need to stand firm and oppose the plans.

"You should see the state some people who have been affected by flooding are living in, some of them have been out of their homes for a year and this is no way to live," he said.

"And the people who are making these decisions should go and visit these people and see."

Resident Catherine Murray said: "This is the 21st century and surely we should use our common sense and not build on areas that we know are going to flood, it's not rocket science."

Rex Thomas said the Environment Agency had to work within Government guidelines.

He said: "I would like to keep all developments out of flood plains but the Government build on these areas."

He added with climate change intense rainfall will become more frequent causing more flooding, though the agency was working with Gloucestershire County Council to create schemes to tackle this.

"We have a limited budget and the Environment Agency tries to spend it wisely to get the best effect," he said.

"There are a number of issues and we can't just give up we need to work hard at these problems to come up with realistic solutions that will safeguard the community as a whole."

17/2/2008