Flood plain housing plan 'is madness'
Wednesday, 25 July 2007
Plans for a housing development in West Yorkshire on land prone to flooding have been branded as "madness" by an MP.
Residents in Otley have formed a campaign group to oppose plans for 60 new town houses and apartments at the former Bridge End Auction Mart site.
The area is affected by floods on average every other year and was put under water after the deluge of rain last month.
Leeds North West Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland has written to the Governme to raise his concerns about the development and to call for a review of building. developments on flood plains.
He said: "It just seems crazy that a large development of this kind is being planned in light of the recent floods that we have seen."
He said suggestions from Housing Minister Yvette Cooper that people might "play politics" with the floods to block developments were ludicrous.
"By implication she's saying that people shouldn't be objecting. "The simple fact is it may be back to the drawing board for a whole number of developments in many areas.
"We've got to accept that - probably as a result of global warming - we now have a very different situation with regard to flooding.
"It would be madness to be building in areas where we know it's likely." Ben Liddicott, a representative for Conserve Otley Riverside Campaign, said the development would not only be at risk of flooding, but would also increase the risk for other residents.
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Internet
Residents in Otley have formed a campaign group to oppose plans for 60 new town houses and apartments at the former Bridge End Auction Mart site.
The area is affected by floods on average every other year and was put under water after the deluge of rain last month.
Leeds North West Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland has written to the Governme to raise his concerns about the development and to call for a review of building. developments on flood plains.
He said: "It just seems crazy that a large development of this kind is being planned in light of the recent floods that we have seen."
He said suggestions from Housing Minister Yvette Cooper that people might "play politics" with the floods to block developments were ludicrous.
"By implication she's saying that people shouldn't be objecting. "The simple fact is it may be back to the drawing board for a whole number of developments in many areas.
"We've got to accept that - probably as a result of global warming - we now have a very different situation with regard to flooding.
"It would be madness to be building in areas where we know it's likely." Ben Liddicott, a representative for Conserve Otley Riverside Campaign, said the development would not only be at risk of flooding, but would also increase the risk for other residents.
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Internet