12:10pm Saturday 19th December 2009
By James Nadal
VILLAGERS in Cookham and Bisham fear flood plans for Marlow could spell trouble for their own villages.
A decision will be made in January on the Environment Agency's plans which include constructing flood walls, bunds, earthworks for flood plain compensation and groundwater pumping wells at Pound Lane, Lower Pound Lane, Gossmore Lane and Firview Close.
The measures are aimed at protecting 172 homes.
Calls have come from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead for an independent examination of the scheme and how it will affect the surrounding area.
These have been backed by Bisham Parish Council and Cookham Parish Council, which has set up a working group to make its own preparations for flooding.
Climate change scientist Fiona Hewer, a Cookham Parish Councillor, has been appointed to head it.
She said:“We are concerned about the flood plans in Marlow. We have had some useful discussions with the Royal Borough and the Environment Agency so we understand what will be done.
“We support the Royal Borough's call for an independent flood risk assessment for Cookham.
“The plans put forward at the moment haven't looked at downstream places like Bisham and Cookham.
“We are saying there could be affects further down the stream and therefore we think there mist be an independent look.”
Wycombe District Council will decide on the application.
Cllr Hewer, who used to work at the Met Office's top climate change research centre in Hadley, Exeter, said the working group is important to ensure the village is prepared for floods.
“Cookham is vulnerable to flooding, we can have quite serious flooding it doesn't happen often but it affects the low lying areas of the village,” she said.
“One of the consequences of climate change for the UK is we expect to have increased heavy rainfall in the winter so there's a good chance that these will increase.”
Sorting out useful equipment, where signs are placed and providing sandbags will be among the tasks the flooding group undertakes.
Cookham's last severe flooding took happened in 1947 when people were stranded and had to deliver food parcels by boat to residents.
More recently, there was significant flooding in 2003.
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk