Letter: There Is a Better Option for Flood Prevention

Published on: 12 Apr, 2026
Updated on: 12 Apr, 2026

From David Ogilvie

In response to: Council Endorses Flood Alleviation Scheme But Hears Cautionary Note On Funding

The Guildford Dragon NEWS has reported that Guildford Borough Council has recently recommended that the Environment Agency Scheme for Guildford be approved.

The final authority for doing so will pass to West Surrey Council, if sufficient funding is secured.

But are the councillors fully aware of the damage this scheme will do to Guildford riverside and to towns downstream?

The whole concept of the Environment Agency flood prevention scheme for Guildford is wrong.

Why are they channelling more water downstream at an even faster rates than it flows at the moment? This will only increase the flooding risk to Weyside Park, Weybridge and London.

Why will they put the river out of site behind retaining walls and embankments?

Why will they have to remove decorative sections of the town bridge to allow more water to pass?

Why will they have to replace the Millmead bridge and the £6 million Walnut Bridge?

Why will views across Millmead have to be blocked with retaining walls?

Why, when I asked at the public meeting what was their cost estimate for their scheme, was I told there was no cost estimate?

If they prepare a plan to stop the flood water getting to Guildford they would not need to do any of the above.

There are two parts to the upper Rivers Wey one rises near Alton and the other rises near Haslemere the total catchment area is over 900 sq km. About half of this catchment is south of Guildford.

A scheme of berms [a berm is a a flat strip of land, raised bank, or terrace bordering a river or canal] across the river valleys at suitable rural locations with electronically remote controlled sluices could hold the flood water back upstream.

After the flood had eased, these gate would be opens slowly to allow the flood water to escape.

An additional advantage of this concept is that a lot more of the flood water would sink into the aquifer thus improving the areas water resources.

I attach an example of such a scheme that could be enabled at St Catherine’s Lock at relatively little cost.

Such a scheme would not impact on the environment in the same way the ARUP’s proposal for scrapes south of Guildford that would do enormous harm to the environment.

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