PRESS RELEASE: 

08/05/2008 

Internationally-renowned flood expert gives backing to flood report. 

Professor Ian Cluckie of Bristol University has written to the  authors of the report Building on the Floodplain is Misguided (A Proof of Evidence) saying that the report is well researched and highly informative. 

The Professor makes a number of comments as follows: 

1. 1.    Tewkesbury is unique in terms of river flooding and is affected by the tidal limit on the Rivers Severn which had an impact on the July 20 event, occurring as it did during the spring tide period.

2. 2.    The environment agency only has a duty to assess floods on a main river and was not given the power is to consider PLUVIAL flooding (rainfall) at the time it was established as an agency of government.  This type of flooding as mentioned in your report is not considered in any formal flood risk assessment carried out as part of a planning application.

3. 3.    The disparity between your report’s estimates of peak flood levels of 14.2 metres AOD and the environment agency’s estimate of 12.92 metres AOD needs to be clarified because it will have a large impact on the residents of Tewkesbury. My own evidence coupled with your report’s photographic evidence clearly indicates that the fluvial flooding was beyond the 12.92 metres.  Therefore I would advocate that the responsible authorities should examine the situation with some urgency.

4. 4.    II cannot understand why the Tewkesbury Borough Council has not taken a clear lead on this matter following the summer floods of 2007.  The responsibility is clearly theirs, as are the consequences of inadequate guidance in terms of new developments.

The Professor followed his letter with a phone call to Vernon Smith in which he said that our report inspired his department to set up computer model paying particular attention to the lower Severn and Tewkesbury and a report will be available later in the summer.

Copies of the Professor’s letter have been submitted to the Tewkesbury Borough Council’s scrutiny inquiry also to Gloucestershire County Council’s flooding task force.

The Severn and Avon Valley Combined Flood Group believe that they are taking the lead on flooding matters in the Tewkesbury area and are now planning to expand their investigations to cover a lot larger area of North Gloucestershire and include major flash flooding areas.

We would welcome other flood groups that would like to join our umbrella organisation and contribute to an update of our report.

 

End 

D A Witts

Secretary