Here at the confluence of five rivers we live with waterways all around us. Our city, planned in the thirteenth century, lies next to flood plains and water meadows of great beauty, made famous by Constable and a major source of tourist income.
Yet more areas of the city and its immediate surroundings are finding themselves fighting flooding. The changing climate is our biggest enemy, but new developments along the edges of the floodplain are the more immediate danger.
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Much of the reparation money given to us for Novichok was spent on flood avoidance measures. The new coach park is entirely designed with flooding in mind. The area by the fire station has had earthworks raised hoping to protect the dwellings. The ancient village of Britford is arranging to construct a long ‘bund’, a bank to contain one of the river’s channels.
A couple of years ago people of the Cathedral Close had to evacuate. Yet our authorities choose not to recognise the principles propounded thousands of years ago by Archimedes: the compression of water will force it higher where it is not compressed. They do this because the imperative to ‘build, baby, build’ is too great. They are trapped by a pressure for new houses into buildings in places which harm existing housing stock.
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Immediately after taking office in July, the Deputy Prime Minister, Angela Rayner, established the New Towns Taskforce, which was up and running by September.
A new town in Wiltshire? (Image: Met Office) This task force is composed of experts from all areas of housing. It has been tasked with finding and funding new settlements with at least 10,000 homes in each, and preferably more, with appropriate infrastructure in areas that will deliver economic growth and meet housing needs.
“In new towns, exemplary development will be the norm, not the exception. The next generation of new towns must be well-connected, well-designed, sustainable and attractive places where people want to live and have all the infrastructure, amenities and services necessary to sustain thriving communities.”
This seems to me an opportunity for our Prime Minister to show what a country with ambitions to lead in Green Technology can do. We could build a new town in Wiltshire to showcase cutting-edge technological innovation to the world.
We could create somewhere with large-scale urban passive-haus buildings, and playful use of space, with keep-fit parks, trees, and walkways with views and vistas. And the whole thing could have the lightest of footprints.
At the same time, Wiltshire could retain its three relatively small towns (35k-45k populations) of Trowbridge, Chippenham and Salisbury, with their infrastructures (and dignity and heritage) intact. For Salisbury, this might just offer us a last-minute reprieve from submersion.
We should put the need and the opportunity in front of the task force to ensure they at least consider it.
Please will you consider signing and supporting the case for a new town in Wiltshire? A ‘Search Area’ has already been identified in our draft Local Plan and a petition is now available for those in agreement to sign HERE.
Annabel Lawson
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