Beavers should be reintroduced in Leicestershire to combat flooding in the area. South Leicestershire MP Alberto Costa claims dams built by the creatures “help reduce water flow and flood risk”.
Mr Costa’s comments come following severe flooding which hit Leicestershire last week, leaving 630 local properties flooded, more than 60 people needing to be rescued and forced East Midlands Ambulance Service to declare its first ever critical incident. In his constituency, schools, a church, new social housing and whole villages were “submerged” and some areas almost turned into “islands”, he said in a letter to flooding minister Emma Hardy.
The latest bout of flooding came just a year on from Storm Henk, which battered the county last January and also left many properties underwater. Mr Costa called on the Government to start making the “necessary reforms and changes to protect our constituents and communities”.
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Alberto Costa believes beavers should be back in Leicestershire
(Image: Supplied)
In addition to the reintroduction of beavers, which he said would need to be done in collaboration with local farmers to ensure risk to land is minimised, he also suggested changes be made in the planning system. He said: “We cannot continue building on flood zones 1 (the most at risk areas for flooding), we need to maintain these protections.
“We also need to rethink the types of of homes we build to ensure they can withstand flooding”. He spoke of one constituent whose home was impacted by Storm Henk. They were due to have a new kitchen fitted on the day of the latest floods, but will now have to wait even longer as their property needs to dry out again.
Mr Costa further called for “relevant agencies” to “step up” their efforts to ensure rivers and brooks are dredged. Investment is also needed to bring UK drainage systems “into the 21st Century”.
This money can be raised by adding water companies as statutory consultees on planning applications, he believes. If this is done, they would then be able to request financial contributions from developers through Section 106 agreements.
“It is time for an open and honest conversation and for the necessary reforms to safeguard our constituents and communities,” Mr Costa said.
He added: “We need this national conversation because, with climate change, we will face more intense storms and rainfall, which will increasingly affect our communities.”