Aylesbury housing project faces flood threat

An independent report commissioned by the Hampden Fields Action Group has revealed that a project to build 1000s of homes is at risk, being build on a flood plain.

The Woodlands project, between the Grand Union Canal and the A41, would include 1,100 homes – many of which could be self-built by individuals along the same lines as Graven Hill in Bicester.

The website states: "Aylesbury Woodlands is a largely flat site. It is bounded to the south by the A41. To the north is the Grand Union Canal; to the east is the Arla dairy and County Council Household Waste Recycling Centre. To the west is the existing urban edge of Aylesbury, including the village of Broughton. The site covers an area of approximately 220 hectares."

It says there's a chance of significant flooding on the site off the A41 Tring Road, with several streams and the Grand Union Canal right by it.

Phil Yerby, who is on the Hampden Fields Action Group, said: "This isn't rocket science. Building on the biggest flood plain in Aylesbury is a bad idea. They are already doing it In Weston Turville. This one is the biggest and most important Flood Plain to Aylesbury and its obvious that we should not be concreting it over but AVDC and BCC are intent on doing it"

"I think the council has plenty of other options regarding sites in which to build on, but this is the easiest option for them. They are looking to ease congestion on the roads but by building more and more houses they will make traffic worse regardless of the new infrastructure."

"This is a seriously bad place in which to build."

"They should only building on the flood plain as a last resort. If there are no other viable options."

A response from AVDC said: “The application site spans an area that is prone to flooding. The developers have put together a Flood Risk Assessment as well as new data that challenges the extent to which the land floods. The Environment Agency are currently assessing this information and will advise AVDC on the impact of the proposal on flood risk, once the assessment has been concluded.”