[your name]
Street Address
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Date

Dear [name of councillor / MP]

I am writing to express my concern about the Environment Agency’s Reading and Caversham Flood Alleviation Scheme.

The consultation on the scheme in June/July 2018 offered 3 options of scheme and a fourth option of no new work. Despite the option of no new work being the most popular with those who responded, by December’s consultation this had changed to a single scheme which was the most expensive and disruptive. By focusing on a single scheme the EA remove the possibility of stakeholders comparing relative costs, likelihoods and environmental risks.

The scheme is based on worst case estimates and seems to be driven by a desire to fulfil the government targets on implementing schemes rather than any real assessment of need; indeed the EA have said that Reading and Caversham are just the next easiest target. Historically there has been no significant damage to properties caused by flooding in Reading since 1947 and in any case that event occurred under very different circumstances to those that currently prevail.

The proposed scheme consists entirely of heavy engineering including over 2 kilometres of wall up to 1.8 metres high and 2 kilometres of high embankments all with deep sheet piling underneath. This wall will form an ugly barrier blocking views of the river and creating many opportunities for anti-social behavior by providing many sheltered areas for drug related activities and a huge canvas for graffiti.
   
Many trees including some of the iconic poplar trees are threatened. There is a 5 metre exclusion zone for planting around the embankments which together with the walls and embankments will urbanise the green corridor in contravention of Reading’s core strategy for parks and water spaces.
I urge you to investigate the scheme fully and oppose it in its current form.


Sincerely,




[your name]