DESPITE an £8.4 million flood defence scheme for Shaldon, new buildings will still have to incorporate expensive extra protection.

County and district councillor Chris Clarance says that insisting the long awaited extension to the village school is still two-storeys, at a cost of £1.8 million, instead of a much cheaper one-storey, makes the project prohibitively expensive.

He wants the Environment Agency policy on building in flood prone areas to be relaxed and has appealed for a government minister to intervene.

'It doesn't make much sense to me to spend so much on a flood wall and then still insist on extra flood measures for new constructions,' he said.

'Either the wall is going to protect Shaldon, or it isn't. What is the point of spending so much money and causing a lot of disruption unless it does a proper job?'

Planning approval for a new assembly hall and other much needed improvements for the primary school, was granted three years ago, but it has to be two storeys high, and the extra cost is delaying financial approval from the county council.

In a letter to Hilary Benn, the environment minister, Cllr Clarance points out that he contacted the Environment Agency, asking if a single-storey building would be acceptable once the wall was built. This would reduce the cost, and make the extension more viable.

'The agency replied with a simple 'no', maintaining that, while raised flood defences reduce the flood risk, they do not eliminate them, thus a safety refuge for children is required – the second floor,' he said.

Cllr Clarance emphasised there was high ground only about 100 metres from the school entrance, and high spring tides usually fell outside school hours.

'I know Usain Bolt can cover that distance in under ten seconds and I believe children could walk it in under two minutes. Overtopping of defences occurs in a slow fashion around high tides, giving plenty of warning.'

Cllr Clarance asks the minister if the government will still be insisting on retaining the extra flood measures for new buildings, particularly the school hall, after £8.4 million is spent on the wall.

He concludes in his letter: 'If nothing comes of this common sense plea to you directly, it looks as if it's an expensive two-storey building or nothing.

'I welcome your take on what I see as a sad state of affairs.'