The future of housing in Oxfordshire needs a major rethink due to the increased risk of flooding, experts have warned.
Planning professionals have called for a “more thoughtful and joined up approach” to where thousands of new homes are planned because of the “growing problem of potential flooding” across the county.
Their warning comes after several earmarked housing sites were left partially underwater by flooding at the start of the year.
READ MORE: Witness call for crash which left man hospitalised with 'life changing injuries'
It is the latest pushback against the wave of new developments set to be built in Oxfordshire over the next two decades.
“There is certainly a growing problem of potential flooding in various parts of Oxfordshire,” said David Young, a spokesman for POETS (Planning Oxfordshire’s Environment and Transport Sustainably), a group of planning professionals and academics.
“It is a direct result of climate change and has been made worse over the last few years, by the government promoted dash for growth, against a background of chronic under-investment by its severely underfunded Environment Agency.
“This is just one of the reasons why we have called for a much more thoughtful and joined up approach to strategic planning in the county.”
POETS’ concerns come as thousands of new homes are planned across the county over the next 17 years.
Cherwell, West Oxfordshire, South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse district councils and Oxford City Council are all developing new local plans which earmark the sites for future housing until 2040 and 2041.
Some of these sites were left badly flooded last month following heavy rainfall brought by Storm Henk.
The latest flooding has prompted fears that some sites are not suitable for new housing developments.
On the southern edge of Oxford, the fields off Grenoble Road were left inundated with water following the storm.
The land has been designated for 3,000 new homes by South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC).
SODC councillor Ian Snowdon said any future homes should have strong anti-flood measures.
"The council's planning committee should do their duty by placing the strongest planning conditions to make certain this happens," said the Conservative councillor for Didcot West.
He echoed the concerns of residents who have raised fears over flooding on the land since 2021.
An SODC spokesman said: “All strategic allocation sites, such as Grenoble Road, were assessed for flooding and drainage matters as part of the evidence base that supported their allocation in the local plan.
"This evidence took account of the flooding resulting from future climate change.
"Developers of each strategic allocation are required by to prepare a site specific Flood Risk Assessment, as part of their planning application process.”
READ MORE: Stained glass panels from 15th to 16th century reinstalled at Tudor house
Similar flooding concerns were raised in Thame last month when fields set to receive 154 new homes were badly flooded.
“If the development proceeds, then any houses built there or nearby may be flooded,” warned Martin Poulter, who lives in the town.
He was one of more than 70 residents who objected to the new homes being built off Oxford Road in a consultation.
Planning agents Savills insisted the intended site is at “low risk” of any type of flooding.
Several householders have written to Henley MP John Howell with their concerns, but he told them he could not intervene.
“As an MP I do not sit at the top of a hierarchy where I can tell local councils and locally elected representatives what to do,” Mr Howell responded in an email seen by the Oxford Times.
The Liberal Democrat challenger for his seat, Freddie Van Mierlo, said residents of Thame should “decide where development goes, not developers and landowners”.
"SODC is proposing to strengthen policies to prevent land at risk of flooding being built on and to increase the protection green space if the Government will allow it," he said.
Flooding fears have also been raised in Yarnton, where a 540-home plan by Merton College hangs in the balance.
READ MORE: 'Lots of dead space': Regeneration plans considered for 'deprived' city ward
The Oxford University College’s plan will be decided by a Government inquiry starting on Tuesday (February 13).
The Yarnton Flood Defence Group claims the proposed development would “make existing flooding increase”.
It comes after heavy rainfall in 2021 left many of Yarnton’s roads submerged underwater.
But planning agents for the college claim the proposed homes would “improve, not worsen, the current flooding situation”.
Yarnton is one of several sites on the outskirts of Oxford where the city council is trying to push hundreds of new homes to meet its growing housing need.
POETS has previously criticised the city council for allegedly exaggerating its housing projection numbers.
The city council has defended its figures and claimed Oxford has a “very limited capacity” for new homes.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here