Whalley homes scheme ‘poses flooding risk’

10:03am Wednesday 5th December 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Jessica Cree, Education reporter

CONCERN Janet Higgins and Nick Walker at the site of the proposed homes CONCERN Janet Higgins and Nick Walker at the site of the proposed homes

AN action group is opposing plans for 77 new homes in Whalley because of the risk of flooding.

The Save Whalley Village Action Group is concerned that the development, which would be on land just off Accrington Road and is for 37 bungalows and 40 retirement apartments near to the River Calder, might result in more frequent flooding for the existing homes.

But a risk assessment presented to Ribble Valley Council by developers Oakmere Homes said careful design of levels throughout the site would ‘ensure that exceedance flows are directed away from building thresholds’.

The application will be discussed at a planning and development comm-ittee meeting tomorrow and is recommended to be deferred.

Janet Higgins, from the Save Whalley Village Action Group, said: “The bottom end of the village had been flooded many times.

“The developers will say it is not always going to be like that, just a one in a 100 year event, but if you are in the house when that happens, you are in trouble.

“The Environment Age-ncy has produced a map showing the area where they will ring you if you are at risk and this site is in it.

Nick Walker, chairman of the group, said there was also an issue over parking. He said: “The car park is a real carry on.

“We have 15 spaces planned for 40 residents and no visitors’ spaces, with a 25 space public car park which will make up for the shortfall.

“It will just mean parking up Accrington Road will get worse.

“People call us ‘nimbies’ but we are talking about quality of life here.”

Oakmere director Chris Middlebrook said: “There is no question of us build-ing new homes with a risk of flooding.

“We have put a lot of resources into development plans for the site which specifically address any potential flooding issues, along with other factors such as environmental factors and traffic management.”

Comments(12)

shytalk says...
10:33am Wed 5 Dec 12

Given the amount of houses for sale in estate agents windows, the lack of jobs etc etc. It's going to be interesting to see if any of these houses ever get sold.
people don't wish to live in a city that has no school places, gets flooded out etc.
Guess who is going to bail out the banks that are going to lose money lending to these developers who can't sell the houses they are building?
Won't happen? They said that in Spain and Ireland.

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midas says...
10:45am Wed 5 Dec 12

Build them on stilts or make planning regulations that allow for the ground floor to be storage/garage and living space on the first and second floor.

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POW WOW says...
11:21am Wed 5 Dec 12

Just tell the insurance companies not to insure these new homes for the fear of everybody else's premiums going sky high, other wise you the residents will take legal action !!!!!!!!

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BuckoTheMoose says...
1:38pm Wed 5 Dec 12

I Assume this fear that the new houses 'might' cause flooding is based on much firmer evidence than builders and architects evidence that it won't.

Or is this another case of 'I think there is a problem so you must acknowledge there is one', with no evidence or attempt to gather evidence at all?

I would put my faith in qualified professionals before a group of NIMBYs, sorry, people concerned with quality of life.

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NoPolitics says...
4:09pm Wed 5 Dec 12

I think the Developers should be congratulated. 37 Bungalows and 40 Retirement Apartments. Such developments haven't been seen for many a year. As far as causing flooding the design of the development could easily incorporate attenuation of water in the design, discharging when the river levels drop. As far as causing flooding this is a major river and such a small development will not have an impact on flooding in any way whatsoever.

Strange that the local council intends to defer the decision. Talk about sitting on the fence, however, given the Council's record on such issues no surprise there, again.

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Whydidtheybanme? says...
4:31pm Wed 5 Dec 12

As part of the consent for Planning Permission, then improvements to the drainage system needs to be a condition. This would also be of benefit to existing properties and residents.

Now why complain or object to that - or are we perhaps dealing with NIMBY's who actually don't really care about the existing "at risk" residents?

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oliveoyl says...
4:37pm Wed 5 Dec 12

Leave it to the experts!! tell that to the poor residents of the Glasdir estate in Ruthin, Wales. The Environment Agency and hence the council approved the developers flood plans and before Taylor Wimpey has even finished, the site has been flooded. Who would build on a flood plain? well this site in Whalley is right next to the river on the floodplain and by raising the ground levels supposedly its going to be fine. Even Ribble Valley Council in their Area Flood Risk assessment
say
" locate future development away from flood prone areas solely on the basis of flood risk"

The size of the development is irrelevant as to whether the river floods or not, its rain that does that and with the amount this year and with changing weather climates, it is nonsense to build near a river. The developer does not have to pay the poor homeowners insurance costs.

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oliveoyl says...
4:50pm Wed 5 Dec 12

You need alot more than improvements to the drainage system to stop flooding, the drains cannot cope once the water level is so high anyway so the water has nowhere to go.

I live in Whalley, luckily I do not get flooded but having seen the devastation caused in June to people I know who did get flooded, I would not wish it on my worst enemy. Whalley has doubled in size in the last 30 years with 3,4 &5 bedroom houses which are not affordable and which local people cannot afford and yet no infrastructure improvements particularly drainage was been upgraded. Whalley residents have every right to have a whinge they aint NIMBYS because it has had its fair share of development!

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DEO VOLENTE says...
9:16pm Wed 5 Dec 12

It is of course a fact that the "Rubble Valley" will be "flooded" over the next 10 -15 years. In much the same way that Blackburn, Accrington, Burnley, Nelson, Colne and many other towns have experienced "flooding".Of course people in these towns did not want to be "flooded" and said so, but alas their fears and opinions were ignored and the "flooding" went ahead with terrrrible consequences.
"Flooding" is a terrible thing, I know I have seen it firsthand and it is dirty, dangerous and disgusting. The Rubble Valley will not be exempt from "Flooding" in fact the water table is already rising. First Bungalows, the thin edge of the wedge,then Five and Six bedroom houses if you catch my drift. Remember were "Flooding" is concerned resistance will not be tolerated! I beleive that the Cotswalds are very nice at this time of year, your umbrella will not save you my friends!

Deus Vobiscum

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2 for 5p says...
11:30pm Wed 5 Dec 12

these new Skem NIMBYs are unreal they never give up

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Bramley Meade Boy says...
4:10pm Thu 6 Dec 12

Squawk, squawk, New Skem, New Skem, squawk.

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2 for 5p says...
8:40am Sat 8 Dec 12

Bramley Meade Boy wrote:
Squawk, squawk, New Skem, New Skem, squawk.
thats it bramley meade
good to see your calling it by its new name .
another suggestion ive had for it from one of my fans is
Skelmersdale 2

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