Critics of the Oxford Flood Alleviation Scheme claim that the proposed new stream and secondary channel deliver little benefit. Oxford Flood Alliance disagrees. We were formed in 2007 by people from communities most vulnerable to flooding. We believe that the proposed two-stage channel is vital to protect those communities.

The planning application documents include an updated comparison between the scheme as designed and the scheme minus the two-stage channel (Appendix Q to the Environmental Statement). This document shows clearly that those communities OFA grew out of, especially those along the Botley Road, would flood more frequently and to a greater depth without the channel.

• In an event with a 20% chance of happening in a given year, the kind of event we might expect to see every 5 years, Duke St starts to flood without the channel.
• In a 5% chance event Duke and Earl St flood, so does Marlborough Court. With the channel, only Duke St is affected. Flooding on Osney Island is more extensive than with the channel, though some areas are affected even with the channel.
• In a 2% chance event Bulstake Close would go under without the channel, sections of Botley Rd would flood, flooding on Osney would be more extensive than with the channel, and St Frideswide’s church and vicarage would flood. Earl and Duke St, and Marlborough Court flood at this level even with the channel. Flood depths will be greater without the channel.
• In a 1% chance event Mill St and adjoining streets flood without a channel, as do Henry Rd, Helen Rd, Binsey Lane, and the whole of Old Botley. There is extensive flooding on Osney. Parts of Grandpont, Jericho, St Thomas and Hythe Bridge St also flood without a channel.

There is no perfect scheme and the most vulnerable communities are already having to accept that the project cannot protect them against a 1% chance event, or even in some cases a 5% chance event. Community and household-level flood defences will still be needed in these situations. The scheme with ‘no channel’ would be significantly less effective.

Overall, the flood alleviation scheme has to balance a range of competing interests. Protecting all homes and businesses at risk from a 1% chance event is not achievable. It would cost too much and have too great an impact on the local environment. OFA believes the proposed scheme is a reasonable compromise between improving flood protection for the city and meeting concerns about cost, disruption to people’s lives, biodiversity and recreation.

If you live or work in any of the flood-affected areas, or travel through these areas for work or school, you will be better off with the channel.