A FLOOD defence scheme for Marlow has been branded "a waste of money" by councillors and prompted a torrent of letters from concerned residents.

The Environment Agency (EA) is proposing to construct a 217m verge, called an earth bund, and a 123m long wall to protect homes in Pound Lane from the River Thames when it floods its banks.

But Marlow Town Council says the EA appears to be working from the wrong premise.

Cllr June Coleridge told councillors at a planning meeting on Tuesday, September 20, that the river had not flooded homes and gardens in Pound Lane since the late 1940s.

Cllr Tony Dunn agreed. He said: "From what I know of this area, water does not come from across the fields, the water table is just high here."

He added: "I firmly believe this is a waste of money and will not solve the problem."

Other councillors echoed his sentiments.

The council said it had received a large quantity of letters from residents "largely in favour of doing something to improve the flood defences in Marlow" but "concerned about the specific details" of the EA's proposal, especially in relation to a proposed permanent access road behind people's homes in Pound Lane.

The council has requested an urgent public meeting for the EA to present its plans to the community. A spokesman for the Environment Agency said the 2003 floods were caused by an excess of river flood water and ground water; caused by the Thames overwhelming the five county council pumping stations designed to remove groundwater from the area.

He said that following a flood management study, the EA had come up with three improvement options:
- construct a flood wall
- construct an earth bund
- construct an earth bund and a flood wall.
He said feasibility studies had identified the third option as the most viable and the EA is seeking final approval and funding for this option internally.

He added that residents and the town council were consulted about this proposal after the floods in 2003 and again in February 2004.

If the scheme is approved, the EA will hold a public exhibition of the final design, which the public may comment on.