Support swells for new Littlehampton flood group

Members of the Littlehampton Civic Society, which in past months has been battling alongside other community groups to save Littlehampton’s treasured leisure facilities at the Swimming and Sports Centre and the Windmill Entertainment Centre, have now united to create the new Littlehampton Flood Action Group in an effort to reduce the risk of flooding in the town.

The move follows in the wake of one of the wettest years on record for decades, which saw dozens of homes across the Gazette area flooded in June – some of which were so badly damaged they still remain unoccupied.

The group was formed during the society’s annual general meeting (AGM) at the New Millennium Chamber, Manor House, in Church Street, Littlehampton, this month.

During the meeting, the society was visited by guest speaker Heather Shepherd, of the National Flood Forum (NFF), who spoke about the inherent dangers involving inadequate drainage systems, sodden ground and over-development – which combined can prove to be a deadly cocktail for flooding to strike.

Mrs Heather told members that the NFF is a charity designed to help support communities in setting up their own flood groups, which would have a responsibilty to liaise with the local authority, developers and other community organisations, to ensure that flooding risk concerns were aired.

In a statement to the Gazette, after the meeting, civic society secretary Angela Tester, said she was worried about the impending number of large-scale housing developments in the town, including those at North Littlehampton and Courtwick Lane, which will see well over 1,000 extra homes introduced to the town.

Angela, who 10 years ago conducted a university study into the possible impact of flooding in Littlehampton, noted a risk plan has been set up by the Environment Agency but that this only covers river and sea flooding – not the groundwater risk.

“This is madness,” she said. “The society is not against housing, or a 20 per cent rise in population, but not on this wholly unsuitable land, putting potential new residents and old residents at highest possible risk. It is unsustainable and unsupportable.”