£6.3m Marlow flood plan 'not worth it'

A MAN who calls himself "The Environment Agency's worst nightmare" says it is not worth spending the £6.3m needed for Marlow's flood alleviation plan.

Plans to protect 287 homes in Marlow were conditionally approved last week by Wycombe District Council - although the EA does not have the funds to go ahead with it. (see related articles below).

River campaigner Ewan Larcombe, an outspoken critic of the EA, thinks the multi-million pound plans will not prove effective.

Cllr Larcombe, a Datchet Parish Councillor, said: “In my opinion the EA have got their priorities wrong, they need to ensure the the conveyance capacity – meaning the amount of flood water a water course can carry – has to be maximised before they build new defences.

“They need to make the most of the existing ones.”

He believes dredging boats, which were used prior to 1997, should be brought back. The vessels scrape the river bed, removing excess material and allowing the river to carry more water.

Cllr Larcombe said of the Marlow plan: “They don't think it's a waste of money but there's better things that can be done with the money. All I say is good luck to them if they think it's going to work.”

Mr Larcombe, whose website JubileeRiver.co.uk scrutinises EA projects , said the plan was only “tinkering at the edges”.

Villagers from Bisham and Cookham had raised “justifiable” concerns about the effect on their homes, he added.

The Environment Agency said regular full channel dredging of the Thames for 'flood risk management' stopped in 1997, but dredging is still part of a maintenance regime for main river channels.

Studies since it ceased have shown dredging of the Thames for the reduction of flood risk “cannot be justified on economic or environmental grounds”, agency spokesman Narinder Sokhi said.

However, a national channel maintenance study is also due to be published over the summer, which is considering the flood risk benefits from maintenance dredging.

Investigations have shown there will not be a negative impact on Cookham or Bisham, the EA said, adding the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead had withdrawn its objections.

Mrs Sokhi said: “Despite the flood risk modelling showing that there is no  increased flood risk to these communities, we have still provided sufficient storage for water that would be displaced by the proposed works.”

Plans include constructing flood walls, bunds (pictured), and groundwater pumping wells at Pound Lane, Lower Pound Lane, Gossmore Lane and Firview Close.

The EA has five years to come up with the cash for the project before having to re-enter the planning process.