CHOICE AND PREFERENCE IN THE THAMES FLOODPLAIN - THE BEGINNINGS OF A PARTICIPATORY APPROACH

Research carried out by the Flood Hazard Research Centre suggests that members of the public have particular preferences for the management of river environments. Research in study areas along the River Thames is currently examining people's preferences concerning proposed flood alleviation schemes that are likely to have a significant impact on the environment. This paper looks first at the British institutional setting and secondly proceeds to discuss issues including: the perception of the floodplain environment by floodplain dwellers; response to changes or proposed changes to this environment aimed at alleviation of the flood risk; the existence of a possible trade-off between maintenance of the integrity of a given environment and acceptance of the flood risk; the adoption of "bottom up" approaches to decision making and whether allowing people a greater participatory role in the process will lead to more environmentally sound river corridor management. This research is aimed at the construction of a conceptual framework for gauging the aspirations of residents in relation to the environment in flood-prone areas. Such a framework should allow a more meaningful analysis of past developments and inform future decisions.