New Hospital Mountain Ash
Posted by Lewis on the 20th August 2008
Jos, you are quite correct the new hospital site at Mountain Ash may never flood who knows it’s in the lap of the gods.
All I have placed on this site is fact information retrieved on the Internet
“The proposed £64m Cynon Valley hospital will be built on a site classed as a flood plain in 2002 “where emergency services such as hospitals should not be considered.” Why has Rhondda Cynon Taf planning committee allowed planning consent on a Zone C2 flood plane?”
The map was retrieved from the Environment Agency website it quite evidently shows the area of land where the proposed new hospital is to be constructed is free from floodwater, I do believe the map was adjusted in 2002 I may be wrong but looking at that map there is a potential area of land surrounding the proposed new hospital site that is undoubtedly a floodplain.
Now if I had £64 Million pounds to spend I don’t think I would spend it on land constructing a building that may flood my driveway or entrance doorway, the fact are there it is a floodplain and there is no getting away from it.
With higher rainfall expected in years to come more development in Cynon Valley pumping more rainwater into the river Cynon, building on floodplains higher up the valley what would you do?
Take a look at the potential floodplain map for Tirfounder Fields on the Environment Agency website it is an eye opener.
Had to start another one to get the map in.
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Well no one answered my question. Do you want the train track to be moved as well, as that is at a lot higher risk of flooding than the hospital site. Surely this is risking a major disaster if the valley is going to flood in the near future. Do you not just think its easier for the enviroment agency to class everywhere next to a river as a flood plain until proven otherwise (which it has). Again after one of the wettest summers in recent history the river is no more that a large stream.
I don’t think there is a need to move the railway track it is a known fact that railways flood on a regular basis I do believe the one in Mountain Ash has flooded on many occasions. Engine drivers have a choice weather or not to proceed through a flooded railway track they consider the danger.
I think hospital buildings are a little different to a few railway sleepers and steel rail track, when you think of the outlay cost, in Mountain Ash it will be over £64 Million pound.
The project is due to start in October 2008, as with any other hospital there will be a good deal constructed below ground for services lift pits etc, therefore that area highlighted white in the above map where the new hospital is to be constructed an area of land adjusted by the Environment Agency just to establish the new hospital site is not on a floodplain.
All foundations and service areas below ground level of the hospital will be well below that area of land highlighted in white therefore the hospital will be constructed on a floodplain with a high water table.
“Has Asda ever flooded” to my knowledge Asda has never flooded but I don’t think Asda has any basements and there is a vast amount of difference in the cost say £5 million for construction of Asda to over £64 Million for a hospital complex with all services serving that hospital below ground in the floodplain.
New plans to prepare Wales for climate change flood fears
New plans to prepare Wales for flooding which will become more frequent because of climate change will be revealed by Environment Agency Wales during September. This begins an extensive 3 month consultation process with representatives of those most affected by flooding.
The Catchment Flood Management Plans (CFMPs) are long term strategic plans to address the predicted increase in flooding and the serious implications for Wales’ homeowners, landowners, economy and environment.
The predicted rise in heavy rainfall due to climate change is expected to increase incidents in Wales over the next 100 years.
With this in mind, Environment Agency Wales will spend the next 3 months consulting with key organisations and community representatives to gain valuable local knowledge and start a wider debate on the future of flood risk management in a changing climate.
The CFMPs high level plans are supported by both the Welsh Assembly Government and Defra in England, and are based on river and not political boundaries.
Chris Mills, Director, Environment Agency Wales, said;
“Traditionally, the approach to managing flood risk has been dominated by the construction of flood defences. But in the future it will not be possible to defend everyone, everywhere, all of the time.
“Building higher and higher defences won’t solve the problem in 100 years time. We have to put plans in motion now to collectively find the best solutions for dealing with increased volumes of water that will inevitably cause us problems in the future.
“We have seen over the last few days the problems that floods can cause. It is important that we look to tackle flooding now and in the future.”