At last – a March councillor (Peter Tunley) has the courage to air his opinions about overdevelopment of March, its bad drainage system and medieval infrastructure (Postbag, March 13).
For years I have complained that March is in danger of being ruined by the unprincipled tendency of planners and speculative builders to implant a mass of houses on sites that for centuries have been known to flood.
It was for that reason March became a place of dykes, water drawn to the river. Laying so-called drainage pipes, which easily became blocked with silt, will enhance the problem.
Five centuries ago March appointed its first surveyor to address the wet areas and highways, especially The Causeway, which regularly flooded.
‘The Sumps’ off Burrowmoor Road (cut in 1546) and other wet areas of the town were drained by dykes.
In our so-called enlightened age, dykes with a reputation of efficient drainage are filled in and tonnes of concrete sunk into the ground. Water collects on the surface.
The town’s infrastructure will not lend itself to improvement unless a few hundred houses are demolished and the infrastructure redesigned.
I have seen many pleasant small towns absolutely ruined by the mistaken notion that biggest is best. Absolute nonsense!
March has attracted people because they see it as unspoilt – but for how much longer?
TREVOR BEVIS
St Peter’s Road
March
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