VILLAGERS fear flooding could put their homes in danger as defences make way for new homes.

Developer Hyde Housing is set to build 32 houses on a field behind Falmer Avenue in Saltdean after six years of planning.

But a drain currently protecting the site from flooding will be removed by the development.

Peter Usher, whose house in Bishopstone Drive backs on to the field, fears villagers’ homes could be flooded.

“If you have flood defences on a site, it’s obvious why they are there,” the 69-year-old retiree said.

“You shouldn’t be trying to get rid of them.

“No one seems to have recognised the hill drains the land around it.

“The whole idea this might be a problem has been poo-pooed.”

Hyde’s plans were originally rejected by Brighton and Hove City Council.

But the Government granted permission for the project on appeal.

Mr Usher believes the risk of flooding of the site should have been assessed.

When he complained to the city council, an officer told him the site was not a flood risk zone.

But the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ website shows there is high risk of long-term flooding on the site and in nearby Lustrells Vale.

“These flood defences have done a grand job and no other inundation has occurred,” said Mr Usher.

“Two houses were flooded in the past before the defences were built.

“Unfortunately because no flooding events have occurred the flood defences do not appear on Defra maps – because the defences have worked.

“The Government cares more about building houses than they do protecting the ones that already exist.”

But Hyde Housing’s associate director for construction John Martin insisted the project took potential flooding into account.

“We have developed a scheme that provides sufficient drainage to accommodate the expected rainfall which will be stored in underground attenuation tanks and then allowed to percolate into the ground in a controlled manner,” he said.

“The site flooded previously because the drain that was used was blocked with silt and debris.”

A city council spokesman said it took flood risk into account when considering the application but could not comment further.

The Ministry of Housing, Communities, and Local Government did not respond for comment.