Chelmsford Council Accused of Ignoring Flood Risks in Housing Plans

Chelmsford might not be taking flooding seriously. This follows a housing plan near the River Chelmer for 55 homes by the Fox and Raven pub. A new country park was also planned. The planning committee rejected it, but flooding wasn’t the main reason for denial. The Environment Agency had no concerns then.

Residents disagree with their conclusions. They think the flood maps are wrong and fear the council ignores flood risks, wanting to build on the land anyway. Residents cite serious local flooding experiences.

Mike Parker urges a housing plan review, saying the area is already full. Parker believes the council is ignoring facts. The council plans warehouses and 4,000 homes near Hammonds Farm within the flood plain. He thinks this is inappropriate for Chelmsford.

Some worry about future building projects. The 55 homes decision may signal future problems. People tried to make the council understand flooding. The council claims strategies and experts exist, but residents feel they are not heard.

Flood maps were shown to be inaccurate. Planners still wanted to approve the homes. Councilors trusted residents and rejected it. The council may struggle to meet housing goals, so building safely is vital and they should not flood homes.

The council said the Environment Agency had no concerns and did not formally cite flooding risks. The planning committee heard about urban sprawl and the damage to the area. The council was criticized for omitting flood details.

Smart Planning commented on the application, saying people with local flood experience should be consulted. Known flood events were seemingly ignored. Third-party information was disregarded by the officers who called it just an “opinion.”

Leonora Wollner lives near the river and worries about ignoring the risk. She fears Chelmsford becoming like Cambridge, where houses might get flooded often. Flooding is devastating for affected people.

The council said they never ignore flood risks and that it is an important factor. They consult bodies to make informed choices. The Environment Agency didn’t object to the housing plan. Their job is to manage flood risk there.

A new study assesses Chelmsford’s flood risk using the latest data. The Environment Agency thoroughly checked it for accuracy. It will help plan for homes and future communities.

Hammonds Farm building areas are at low risk. Most Chelmsford houses face similar risk. Other areas there have a bigger flood risk. Those high-risk sections won’t have new buildings; instead, they’ll become a park, which will act as a better flood plain.