Homes will cause floods

FOLLOWING on from Michael Benke’s recent story about flooding risk surrounding the Eastern Villages plan, I’d like him to know that each day as I drive to and from Wanborough along that narrow road to Covingham, I see anything from one to four Environment Agency vans/cars/lorries at the Dorcan Brook Flood Storage facility just before the Merlin Bridge.

Even on Sunday, there were three vehicles at 9.10am.

For those who might not know, this flood storage facility is more or less opposite Lotmead Farm where somewhere in the region of 8,000 houses, comprising five Eastern Villages, will spread themselves from South Marston to include the land that is currently Redland Airfield on the Wanborough Road. If, I ask myself daily, that amount of Environment Agency attention is necessary now on that “flood plain”, how much more will be needed when thousands of families occupy houses built on lovely green fields that afford us the facility of holding all that flood water? Gosh, where will it go?

What, I wonder, makes Coun Toby Elliot (Con, Priory Vale) such an expert on flood plain management?

He tells us that: “We will ensure that new houses in EV will be built to the highest standards and have the right level of protection.”

Of course he does! He doesn’t want developers to be left with loads of unsold houses because people realise they are being built in the wrong place!

Will he guarantee financial protection for these householders and who will pay for this – Swindon council tax payers?

Will there be compensation claims? But hey, then, what about the existing residents of Covingham, many of whom had their properties flooded in 2007.

And many of those saw their home insurance costs rise extraordinarily.

What about the residents of Wanborough, some of whom also had their properties invaded by sewage and sludge even in 2008.

What does Coun Toby Elliot say to them? What guarantee does he give that their properties will not suffer from building on flood plain fields?

Getting the developers to install a few Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems will not compensate for the number of houses planned for this area.

And it will not compensate for the threat of flooding to existing residents.

Flooding is a product of our interference of natural drainage, the change of land use, the alteration of river pathways and building on flood plains. SBC take note.

The private road that leads from the Wanborough Road to the Lotmead Farm (Ainscough plan to build 2,600 houses) was constructed by our wise forefathers, to be so much higher than the surrounding fields because they knew those fields flooded in the winter months and will do so again and again and again.

Yet our SBC planners, their agents, developers and even Mr Fox, the government inspector, fail to appreciate that the water in overburdened water courses needs places to go.

Tell the people of Cumbria,Yorkshire, Lancashire and the like, whose houses have flooded three times this winter that Level 1 flooding is always once in 100 years per year...!

Remind the people of the Somerset levels how lucky they are that the south of England hasn’t had the same amount of rain this year. Then tell the people of Covingham, Liden, South Marston and Wanborough not to worry because Coun Toby Elliott is an expert in building on flood plains and of course, it couldn’t possibly happen here... could it?

SALLY INSKIP The Marsh, Wanborough

Unnecessary changes

AT THE beginning of a New Year many residents will be looking for things to improve in Swindon.

They could be asking why, after 10 years of Conservative administration, they have still failed to deliver a town centre to be proud of. So far their vision has been to replace existing buildings, akin to moving deckchairs on the Titanic.

To many it will be unfathomable why at Whalebridge a good roundabout was replaced by mini roundabout near Halfords becoming the main way traffic moves around our town.

The mess of a traffic system is not what drivers need, they simply want an easy way into and around a town. Not to be sent around in circles or waste precious time in long queues.

At a time when the town had more than 800 spare car parking spaces residents could be forgiven for asking why another 800 plus spaces were needed to be built in the laughingly called cultural zone?

Now more tax payers’ money is being wasted removing excess car parking in better locations.

Soon a new health centre will be built to replace a perfectly good health centre and the existing bus station will come down.

This will be replaced by a new bus station on one of the main traffic routes through town. This will not be replaced by an infrastructure built for the 21st century, instead roads built for horse and carts will be used.

Instead of getting a town centre to be proud of tax payers’ money is being used to restrict traffic movements and to build high rise offices. This at a time when many town centre offices are being converted into housing.

How is this going attract new businesses to come to Swindon or for existing businesses to want to move?

The reality is Swindon’s appeal is based on being relatively cheap.

However, Swindon needs to offer something out of the ordinary, not just replacement buildings found in comparable towns.

We have an identity and some old railway buildings which could still be used to deliver something special.

My fear is nothing is being learnt. For example, the Conservative administration is once again intent on spending £900,000 of tax payers’ money on another wi-fi system.

This in spite of many residents petitioning for a fibre optic system.

This is an administration which pretends they are delivering what people want while actually delivering incomplete visions and empty promises.

This gives me no confidence Swindon will improve this year unless a change takes place in who runs the council.

Happy New Year.

BOB WRIGHT Central ward councillor

Muslims aren’t an issue

THE rabid, right-wing, Donald Trump- supporting news channel, Fox TV, claimed Britain has a massive problem with Muslims.

The racists, xenophobes, Daily Mail, Sun, Daily Express, and some of its readers, may have massive problems with Muslims, but millions of us don’t.

Yes, there are a small number of Muslims who may want to do us harm, but the majority are decent, law-abiding citizens.

Each morning I pick up my paper and each morning one of the tabloids will have a headline demonising Muslims or Islam.

Muslim charities in the UK do a lot of work both here and overseas.

In mid December members of the mosque, in Broad Street, on a wet cold day, were in the town centre collecting money for the flooding in Carlisle, but these efforts are very rarely recognised by much of the media. Why?

The problems this country faces are brought about by the Tories’ austerity agenda, which has created more problems than it has solved.

MARTIN WEBB Swindon Road, Swindon

We’re all in it together

I DON’T think it’s a secret, but I suspect Bill Williams wants the UK to leave the EU. Reading his letters over the years he blames all UK problems on the EU.

He says ‘there is more terrorism to come if free movement continues.’ In his letters Bill reminds us of his ‘roots’; east end of Glasgow.

He has forgotten he was able to cross an open border without checks, and it’s been open since 1707. Today the English and Scots only fight over football and rugby.

I believe Bill is correct in his comments that ‘the defence of the realm is being threatened’ by terrorists.

Recent history records Britain has suffered terror attacks since the 1970s. None are linked to the EU.

In July 2005 London was bombed, and we remember the loss of Lee Rigby in 2013.

Bill is forgetting other countries have also been attacked – Russia, Egypt, Japan and even the USA, which are not members of the EU.

This is one problem where the world is ‘all in it together.’ Nothing to do with the EU.

We are assured by our government that actions are being taken to counter terror plans.

Looking at the news I think they are doing all they can. Don’t paint every foreigner with your anti-EU brush or condemn every Muslim, British or foreign, or refugee or ‘the hand-wringing ‘welcome all’ brigade’ as being anti-UK, they are not.

You and your family didn’t walk 400 miles from Glasgow, you were not under a threat of death, which is the reason for many refugees.

Like me, you were an economic migrant looking for a better life in Swindon.

I believe we are all brothers and sisters we must look after those who fall by the wayside; next time it may be you!

MIKE SPRY Mayfield Close, Swindon

We must start trading

GEORGE Osborne keeps telling us that the economy is booming but there are some ominous dark clouds looming on the economic horizon.

During his time as chancellor the national debt has doubled to £1.4 trillion.

Britain has also lost the ability to export goods. Its trade deficit is the worst in the world at five per cent of GDP.

The Government seems oblivious of the importance of exports and the need to pay our way in the world.

Statistics show GDP is growing quickly.

Unfortunately, it is built upon imports and borrowing – not foundations for long term, sustainable economic growth.

STEVE HALDEN Beaufort Green Swindon