12-May-2006 - The Environment
Agency has served notice on a landowner in Robertsbridge
to warn them that environment officers will be
removing an unlawful bridge on their property.
The bridge, built recently by
the landowner, has been built within the banks
of the River Darwell and presents a serious flood
risk to Robertsbridge residents. The Environment
Agency has asked the landowners to remove the
bridge themselves but they have refused.
Martin Davies, Legal and Estates
Manager for the Environment Agency said:
"Our role is to reduce
flood risk and there are strict rules around building
bridges because of their potential to increase
flood risk. This bridge has been built inside
the banks of the river, in times of heavy rainfall
when river levels are high, the bridge could be
washed away taking with it a wave of water and
damaging debris. It also has two wooden supports
in the middle of the river, which will trap debris
and form a dam causing water to back up, upstream
of the bridge.
"Under the Water Resources
Act 1991, any structure built in, on, under or
over a main river requires land drainage consent
from the Environment Agency. In this case, no-one
has applied for consent. In the case of this bridge,
it is unlikely that we would have granted consent
due to the flood risk implications for Robertsbridge.
"When we first contacted
the landowner, we received an e-mail in reply
that was grossly offensive and threatening, and
as a result referred it to the police. We have
also asked the police to accompany our officers
when they go to remove the bridge."
The Environment Agency completed
flood defence works in Robertsbridge in April
2004. The project cost £3.7million.
