DEFENCES PLEA ON FLOODS ANNIVERSARY

The first phase of improvements to flood defences in Lewes was completed last December and Lewes District Council is lobbying hard to get funding for the comprehensive upgrading of flood defences for the town.

The construction of the first phase of new flood defence embankments around the Malling Recreation Ground now offers improved flood protection to the Malling Brooks industrial estate, Tesco and the residential areas around Spences Lane, Orchard Road and the Spinneys with a combination of earth bunds and walls. Malling recreation ground will not be protected and will remain as a flood storage area, if the river overtops its banks.

Councillor Ann De Vecchi, Leader of Lewes District Council said "Although the first phase of this essential flood defence work has been successfully completed, there is still so much more than needs to be done. Funding continues to be an issue because most parts of the town haven't had any upgraded flood defences since the disastrous events of October 2000 and still remain very vulnerable. The basic problem is that Government requires the Environment Agency to consider flood defences in a fragmented way, rather than by a comprehensive town-wide flood defence scheme.

We are also convinced that man-made climate change is also a major issue that we must take seriously. The District Council is launching a consultation draft of its Climate Change Strategy. We all need to take steps to lessen the input our lifestyles have on the environment and to take action to adapt to changes in our climate that have already happened".

Despite the difficulties in getting funding for a comprehensive flood defence scheme for Lewes, progress has been made on a number of fronts:

The Sussex Ouse Flood Management Strategy has now been agreed by Government. The District Council is working with the Environment Agency to bring forward detailed proposals for the Cliffe area, so that a scheme is ready if Government funding becomes available. This area stands the best chance of getting further funding.

Developers are preparing proposals for major redevelopment in the North Street area, which will include upgraded flood defences. These will only go ahead if the scheme , as a whole, gets planning permission

An updated Flood Emergency Plan for Lewes has been drawn up and is being tested in a multi-agency exercise (involving the emergency services, local authorities and voluntary groups ) on October 11. This will help ensure that there is an effective response to any future flood emergency.

The Lewes Flood Warden Network continues to work to develop flood awareness in local communities and to assist the authorities in the event of another flood. The warden's annual training event on October 11 will look at new telephone flood warning arrangements and the lessons to be learned from the Carlisle floods in January 2005

Planning policies continue to exercise strict control over development in the floodplain. New national guidance on the role of planning in managing flood risk is expected by the end of the year, and the District Council will be reviewing relevant policies in its new Local Development Framework to make sure that they are up to date.

Flood risk on the Winterbourne Stream has been reduced by a new trash screen installed at Bell Lane Recreation Ground earlier this year. This has been followed by a campaign to deter fly tipping and dumping in the stream bed, which adds to flood risk.

Importantly, the District Council are bringing these, and many other initiatives, together in its new Climate Change Action Plan which sets out what we can all do to reduce the carbon emissions which are driving climate change and increasing flood risk everywhere.

"We are doing what we can to reduce flood risk in Lewes." said Cllr De Vecchi. "However, the real answer lies with a comprehensive scheme of upgraded flood defences for the town and only the Government and the Environment Agency can deliver those"