Mr Woonton spoke first. He told us that 92 mm of rain fell over Cambridge on 21 October and 513 properties were fooded in the county. His agency has responsibility for ``main rivers'', which mostly are the larger water courses. Small water courses tend to fill quickly and so are more likely to cause flooding. The Bin Brook is main river downstream from Barton Road. Since the flood, the agancy has been collecting data, to update flood risk maps, review flood warning systems, and identify further study requirements. Any prevention works must be financially viable, technically sound, and environmentally acceptable.
The Bin Brook was enmained after the 1978 flood to allow the agency to improve it. The relief channel was dug and, at the time, was estimated to provide protection such that flooding would be expected to occur every 40 years on average,
Mr Woonton announced that Mr Brian Elsdon of Halcrow had been appointed to undertake a ``pre-feasibility'' study of the Bin Brook. His report was due in September or October 2002 and would be submitted to DEFRA. The residents would be invited to appoint a representative to participate in project group meetings and to keep the residents informed.
He said that, earlier in the week, he had met with Dr Barry Pearce, President of the Cambridge Preservation Society, to consider the possibility of upstream storage on the society's land. He would favour this if the feasibility study supported it. It would give environmental enhancement benefits.
He reported that possible flood warning instrumentation for the Bin Brook was being studied and might be installed in 2003/4, but it must be recognised that small water courses rise unpredictably. He would like there also to be a self-help group to disseminate warnings and to monitor what is happening. He drew attention to flood-prevention devices that householders could fit; information is available on the agency's web site.
Dr Pearce then gave a presentation of the Preservation Society's plans for a Coton Countryside park, which were announced in January. He began by saying that Ashwell Properties had approached the society in connection with a proposed development and he made it clear that the society would not cooperate in any such scheme.
He said that the society wants to secure the green belt and so the proposed Coton park plays a key role. At present it is a 300-acre farm, with the University as tenant farmer. The aim is to continue farming but to improve access and enhance the amenities for wild life, with a resident warden. A possible site for a balancing pond is just west of the M11 on land that at present is set-aside. It would provide both flood prevention and a habitat for wild life. He compared it with the Adams Road pond.
A design workshop for the park will take place in Coton village hall on 18 or 25 May and he issued an invitation to the audience to attend. Then a master plan will be drawn up and planning permission sought. He hoped that work might start next year but this was dependent on sufficient funds being raised. About a million pounds is needed and he is looking for grants. A pond funded by the Environment Agency would help with that.
There followed a discussion. Mr Lindsay Dane of the University's Estate Management Service began by saying that the University owns Laundry farm and has no relations with the Ashwell group. Mr Oliver Rackham, a Fellow of Corpus, said that to the best of his knowledge similar statements apply to the land owned by the College.
During the discussion, Mr Woonton said that the willingness of the society to make land available is a significant benefit. Consultants would advise on the best location for any pond. Detailed design could perhaps take place during the financial year beginning in April 2003, with construction in the following year. DEFRA guidelines aim to provide protection such that on avaerage flooding recurs every 50 to 200 years. The study will include the Fulbrooke; a pond would help with it too. Alternatives to a pond will be considered.
Mr Woonton told us that the City Council maintains the relief channel for the agency, in theory every 6 weeks. The secretary of the Residents' Association said that she frequently had to ask the council to come and clear it. Mr Woonton promised to consider improving the trash screen.
Mr Wagner said that his estimate is that the return rate of flooding at present is 10 years. Mr Woonton promised that the consultants will check this -- assessment methods have changed in recent years. He said that there was no evidence that bottlenecks had caused the flooding, but remarked that nowadays his agency would advise against developing the Gough Way site. He noted that the relief channel had prevented flooding at least twice.