The Environment Agency are currently developing a major long-term flood alleviation scheme covering the whole of the Thames catchment upstream of London. In developing the Thames Valley Flood Scheme, the EA are looking to work with a range of partners.
The Chiltern Society has an important interest in this area through the presence of the Chilterns AONB, the Chilterns Chalk Streams and a section of the River Thames between Maidenhead and Wallingford. We have reviewed the recent consultation on the Scheme and have raised a number of issues that are of particular concern to the Chilterns. You can read our response here
Key issues include water resources and pollution in the chalk streams, over abstraction to provide water for new development, opportunities to incorporate significant wildlife improvements across the whole catchment, and increasing impacts from new housing development.
We will be seeking, in future, to link this more closely with our work on Local Plans and in the promotion of nature recovery and biodiversity net gain across the Chilterns. We will closely follow the development of the Scheme as it progresses.
Further information on the scheme, including an introductory video, can be found here.
210819 Thames Valley Flood Scheme – Chiltern Society comments
