Stranded and worried in Strande Park

Thank you for correcting your front-page report regarding the BLP court case.

You clarified that it was important to differentiate between the flood issues at Strande Park, Cookham, and the separate issues to do with Maidenhead Golf Course.

Residents at Strande Park are being ignored.

We face issues regarding flood risk, and to do with our Protected Site Licence.

We have sent 51 unanswered letters to the Secretary of State, prior to the High Court hearing, detailing evidence of how false statements were made to his inspector by RBWM, and how the proposed changes will risk the lives of approximately 100 people on Strande Park.

We have also written to RBWM, who issue and manage the Park Home Site Licence.

This correspondence has been unanswered.

In February 2014 Strande Lane and Lightlands Lane were flooded and portaloos were issued.

Strande Park residents received letters from RBWM asking them not to use their toilets or sinks due to the rise in ground water levels.

None of this was volunteered by RBWM's counsel. Surely RBWM had a duty to explain these serious matters to the judge?

You can therefore understand us feeling outraged that Councillor Andrew Johnson, should state that it was a ‘politically driven’ legal challenge.

We are real people, with real concerns. We are not politically motivated, just normal people who expect the authorities to respond responsibly and act on the issues we raise.

Contrary to the RBWM claims in court, in the event of flooding in Lightlands Lane, the infirm, children, and people with disabilities, will not be able to all exit via Bass Mead.

Bass Mead leads to a narrow pedestrian alley not fit as an exit for all in emergency circumstances.

The alley leads to a tiny pavement on Maidenhead Road. To the right is

Lightlands Lane which (would be in flood), and to the left the dip under the railway bridge would also be in flood.

This leaves us potentially stranded.

This area floods most of the time when there is heavy rain, so the council should be working to improve matters, not make it worse.

None of this history was discussed in cour t.

With climate change and increased ground water levels, we feel extremely vulnerable.

The Environment Agency has stated that ‘this proposed development in the BLP would not be safe for its lifetime’ and classified the risk as being a ‘danger for some’.

They therefore said our site should be removed from the BLP as ‘unsound’.

But that was not all.

RBWM issue our site licence.

This protects the land for car parking and recreational use.

When the Inspector asked if we had a right to use the land the council said we had ‘no authority’ to use the land.

This is extremely serious, but the Secretary of State and council refused to inform the judge of these matters.

It appears that RBWM and the Government utterly misunderstand, or choose to ignore, the implications and the risk to life of residents in Strande Park, Strande Lane and Lightlands Lane, and the rules laid down in the Park Homes Act.

For Cllr Johnson to make an unfounded statement that this is ‘politically driven’ is a disgrace and outrage and we ask him to retract that statement.

FOR AND ON BEHALF OF STRANDE

PARK RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION