EA Oxford flood relief clanger

THE Environment Agency proposals for Thames flood relief at Oxford could result in boaters being made homeless.

The Environment Agency's consultation document, as originally issued, fails to acknowledge that one of three options in the Weirs Mill and Iffley Meadow area would result in loss of residential moorings.

Residential boater made homeless

The Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme consultation document divides the area into seven sections inviting public comment. ‘Area 7' provides three viable alternative options but no mention is made that option 7A would result in residential boaters on Weirs Mill Stream being made homeless due to the widening of the stream.

Those that might be made homeless include some 17 boats known to be lawfully moored following a recent successful planning application to declare them as such.

Not in plentiful supply

It is not as if ‘legal' residential moorings in the Oxford area are in plentiful supply!

Retrospectively, the Environment Agency appears to have acknowledged this with its website now stating Please note the consultation document has been updated on 21 January 2016 to include locations of Residential Narrow Boat Moorings in Area 7'.

... however the consultation document does not appear to have been amended!