Brian Stanley warns flood schemes take 13 to 20 years
Brian Stanley warned that climate change is already producing more frequent flooding and criticised the slow pace of flood release schemes, saying some take 13 to 20 years. He cited the Mount Melech and Port Arlington schemes, said residents are on high alert, and called for more power and staff for local authorities and for planning studies to run in tandem rather than consecutively.
Main criticism of flood scheme timelines
He said flood release schemes are taking far too long, citing delays of 13 to 20 years. The Mount Melech and Port Arlington schemes were planned since 2017, with completion estimates for Mount Melech at best 2030 to 2032 and Port Arlington between 2030 and 2034, meaning some schemes could take 17 to 18 years from conception to delivery. He described construction and planning progress on schemes now nine years old as way too slow.
Local impacts cited
He outlined concrete local impacts, saying homes and Manor Road have been flooded again in recent months and that Botley Lane and Port Arlington also get flooded, with extensive flooding in other parts of the towns. He said residents are on edge and remain on high alert while schemes remain delayed.
Local authorities and devolved powers
He said he agreed with the motion's proposals except for a point he identified as 0.7, warning that that element would take responsibility away from local authorities. He argued that, in practice, schemes he has seen do not go to local authorities and that local authorities currently lack sufficient staff and powers — he called for devolving more power and giving local authorities a greater role.
Planning, studies and timing
He criticised ministers for the slow pace of necessary studies and reports, naming ecology, hydrology, archaeology, habitats, public consultation and EIAs. He urged that these processes should happen in tandem rather than consecutively, stressing that the current sequential approach has contributed to unacceptable delays.
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The climate change is here, and we're seeing what it looks like. This is the beginning of it, unfortunately, and with the change in weather patterns that we're seeing over the last few years. And these flood release schemes are just taking too long, from 13 to 20 years. The Mount Melech scheme and the Port Arlington scheme that are planned since 2017, people in those two towns are on high alert the whole time. Homes and Manor Road have been flooded again in recent months. Botley Lane and Port Arlington get flooded. And extensive flooding in other parts of the towns. And residents are on edge with this. The progress on board schemes that are now nine years old is way too slow. The construction is taking too long, and the planning for it. The completion date for those who are centrally involved in it for the Mount Melech scheme will be at best 2030, 2032, and maybe even longer. Port Arlington, anywhere between 2030 and 2034. That's 17, 18 years after the scheme is conceived. And we agree that what's been proposed in this motion, except 0.7, and I would say this again to take it away from local authorities. It actually goes down Commission Planolla, it doesn't go to local authorities, any of the schemes I've seen. But we need to give local authorities more power and more of a role. We need to devolve more power to them. That's exactly the problem that we have, because local authorities don't have sufficient staff and powers to deal with these matters. And the various studies and reports ministers have taken too long. Ecology, hydrology, hydrology, archaeology, habitats, and public consultation, and EIAs. We have taken way too long, and they need to happen in tandem, not consecutively. That's the message I will give you today. Thank you.
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