Flood plain housing sparks protest

12 April 2012

Thousands of residents in one of the worst-hit towns during last month's devastating floods are staging a march to protest against plans to build homes on flood plains.

People living in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, are calling on the Government to avoid siting large housing developments in areas vulnerable to flooding.

Organisers of Saturday's march are hoping up to 5,000 people will walk through the picturesque town, which was virtually cut off during the floods, to highlight their concerns.

Hundreds of businesses and homes were gutted during the floods, and many shops in the town have yet to reopen as the slow clean-up operation continues.

The march has been organised by local town councillors, who are confident that residents will turn out in huge numbers.

Many in the town blame the borough council for allowing new developments to be built on the flood plain for the unprecedented flooding, which engulfed the area.

All protesters have been asked to carry a bottle of water and leave it on the borough council's doorstep - to symbolise how much floodwater is generated by building on the flood plain.

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