IN his letter last week, Councillor Chris Oliver, chooses not to notice that there are 11 houses in the latest proposal which would have their only entry doors at least one foot below the 1947 flood level.

There are no escape routes shown on the plans and occupants of these houses would have to wade through several feet of water to reach the nearest dry land on the railway line.

Those who occupy such houses will eventually be marching wet foot to Wycombe District Council demanding a very costly flood relief channel for Marlow and Bourne End.

In a letter I received from the Deputy Prime Minister through the Department of Transport Environment and the Regions, it is stated that, even though it is still in draft form local planning authorities are obliged to treat the Planning Policy Guidance Note 25 advice on flooding as material consideration when considering planning applications.

By their own admission the Environment Agency state that "The 1947 flood conditions could recur under repeat hydrological conditions", and since 1947 there has been massive unopposed development in the flood plains upstream of Cookham Weir, on top of this there is the effect of new farming methods on drainage in the catchment area and the effect of global warming, widely acknowledged to be causing much higher rainfall than hitherto.

The letter states that building in the flood plains should be wholly exceptional and goes on to say that local authorities will be asked to review their local plans in the light of new information on flood risks.

What reason is there to make an exception in this case?

On December 11, 2000, the EA notified me that the agency's staff at Bristol head office are actively involved with negotiations regarding flood plain policy and that they would await the outcome of the deliberations and will consider what impact any new guidance will have on their policies and procedures.

No one disputes the fact that we must expect worse.

The revised draft document is expected this January.

Those who live in the flood plains are entitled to expect Wycombe District Council to comply with this new draft, and be prepared to postpone all flood plain decisions at least until the promised revised tougher version of PPG 25 is available later this month.

Graham Curtis

The Rosery

Bourne End