星空传媒

Councils and housing associations operating in the Thames Gateway have dismissed as sensationalist claims that new developments in the area are at a high risk of flooding.

Fears were raised last week following the publication of a new flood-risk map on the Environment Agency鈥檚 website, which highlighted areas in danger of flooding.

The map indicated that a large proportion of the 90,000 new homes due to be built in the London section of the Thames Gateway, such as the proposed 33,000 homes in Stratford, Lower Lea and Royal Docks, were particularly at risk as they were being built on flood plains and low-lying areas.

But both councils and social landlords strongly disagree, and this week told Housing Today that flood defences were either already in place or would shortly be built. They pointed out that the Thames barrier itself was 10 times stronger than the Environment Agency鈥檚 minimum standards.

Kevin Smith, Emergency Planning Co-ordinator for Thurrock council, said: 鈥淭he Environment Agency map appears to put us in a high-risk zone but only when you don鈥檛 take into consideration the flood defences we have in place. We don鈥檛 worry about flooding because we know we have the necessary fortifications. It鈥檚 all a bit melodramatic.鈥�

Neale Coleman, policy director at the Greater London Authority, confirmed that a lot of new homes will be built within the flooding area. But he said: 鈥淲e are aware of the risks and are working on a major piece of research with the Environment Agency to look at how best to deal with these.鈥�

He said that 鈥渆very possibility was under consideration鈥� to deal with the flooding risk, including extending or even moving the Thames Barrier.

The ODPM has also reacted strongly to allegations of high flood risk, with deputy prime minister John Prescott writing a letter to a national paper to rebuff them as designed to 鈥渇righten rather than inform鈥�.

The ODPM has carried out a strategic flood risk assessment in the area, supported by the Association of British Insurers, to help manage the threat of flooding.

An ODPM spokeswoman said: 鈥淲e are aware that the risk of flooding is increasing and that we need to respond to the likelihood of more flash floods.

鈥淲e are working with the Environment Agency, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and insurers to ensure the homes and businesses in the Thames Gateway are protected.鈥�

An Environment Agency spokeswoman said the map鈥檚 new data would be instrumental in enabling the flood prevention funding to be spent where it was needed most.