Reserve floods are concerning
I wrote recently to councillor Kitchen (chairperson of the planning committee for Horsham North) to express my wife’s and my concern at the extent of recent flooding in Warnham nature reserve.
We believe the current development on land North of Horsham will increase this hazard. Additional proposed development of Rookwood will increase both the risk, and its extent, yet further.
It is acknowledged that significant development for housing, with increased Tarmac and concrete surfaces, prevents land from absorbing rainfall, which must find alternative locations for absorption.
The attached picture (right) illustrates the flooding during Sunday, November 15. Other pictures I took show flooding in the main areas of the reserve. The rest were taken at the rear of our property in Kingfisher Way. They show flooding on one of the walkways at the northern end of the reserve, which is inundated and impassable, and the extent of the flooding of Chennels Brook. As far as I was able to see at the time, the flooding extended for most of the length of the 15 properties in Kingfisher Way which back onto the nature reserve.
The rain had not been exceptional. We are concerned that the extent of current and proposed development will cause permanent damage, to both the nature reserve and adjacent properties.
There exists a risk from the development on land North of Horsham. The proposed development of Rookwood will increase this.
I drew councillor Kitchen’s attention to the fact that were flooding to result in damage to properties in Kingfisher Way the residents would not hesitate to institute a class action with associated insurance claims.
I urged councillor Kitchen to ensure that the present risk from the development North of Horsham is both monitored scrupulously, and any necessary steps taken to prevent damage. Additionally, I believe this evidence demonstrates emphatically that the proposed Rookwood development should not proceed.
Her reply consisted of little more than a single line in which she thanks us for the photos, notes our comments, and observes that as a consequence of playing golf at Rookwood is aware of the course’s beauty.
Charming though this may be, it does not inspire confidence that she is taking a positive lead in either monitoring imminent flooding risks, nor in rejecting the proposed development of the Rookwood site.
PROFESSOR IAN MCLAREN
Kingfisher Way,
Horsham