The Environment Agency – in partnership with Blackwater Aggregates, a joint venture involving CEMEX UK – has proposed a 20-year quarrying operation as part of a £9m flood defence scheme for a trio of villages in Essex. Villagers are up in arms. One local councillor likened it to "using a sledgehammer to crack a peanut."
The EA says "quarrying operations... will ultimately support in the delivery of a flood alleviation scheme that would otherwise mean the public purse would need to contribute in excess of a further £25 million."
Councillors are not happy, and say that the EA’s proposals to create "1 in 100 year flood storage" would cause "irreparable damage" to the Blackwater Valley and "are out of proportion with what is needed":
It is not clear that the cause of the 2001 flooding was from the River Blackwater near Coggeshall - the flooding was not simply the result of heavy rain.
We are concerned about the proportionality of the plans and that the Environment Agency has seemingly already made its mind up.
The EA says there is "no viable alternative":
We have forged a valuable partnership with Blackwater Aggregates to develop a scheme fit for the communities - a scheme that not only provides flood protection but will take opportunities to enhance the rich flora and fauna and biodiversity features forming the River Blackwater valley and develop new habitats.
Locals say it will leave them with "20 years of noise, dust and pollution."
