Before allowing new development Isle of Wight Council planners should think about the increased threat of flooding as each building goes up, says Isle of Wight MP Andrew Turner. He was responding to complaints from Cowes residents that flooding is getting worse while St Mary’s Road pumping station does not have enough capacity. Recently Mr Turner raised this issue with Southern Water and the Council’s Head of Planning, Andrew Ashcroft.
Mr Turner said:
“Southern Water has no plans to increase capacity at St Mary’s Road pumping station until 2010. Until that extra capacity is available, we need to think long and hard about flooding every time we consider more building work on the Island. Even after that time we must recognise there is no point in providing extra capacity if it is immediately used up and the threat of flooding returns.”
He then pointed out the difficulties created when more houses are built:
“Soft landscape, such as grass, shrubs and trees, absorbs rainwater, but these often disappear when more houses are built. Hard landscape such as houses, pavements, roads and hard-standing for cars does not absorb the water. Instead it just runs off much more quickly creating flooding problems downstream where sewers cannot cope.”
