DEVELOPERS have said new homes on Swindon's Front Garden would not be under water even during the worst flooding in a 1,000 years.

Concerns over the risk of flooding on the Wichelstowe development, which is partially on a flood plain, were raised during torrential downpours and flood problems in July.

Campaigners from the Front Garden Action Group (Frag) said they were still not convinced by the claims that only public areas were likely to be under water and all of the homes will be built on a 60cm platform, lifting them above the rising water levels.

The latest claims come from engineers brought in by developers Taylor Wimpey to weigh up the chances of water entering the 4,500 new homes planned for the site.

Engineers from the WSP Group said houses on the site would be safe and even said the Environment Agency had approved the flood risk assessment.

But Frag chairman Terry King said his trip to the Front Garden site during the July floods proved otherwise.

"I went down there and saw lakes where houses are to be built and roads already have been under half a metre of water, so I just don't believe them.

"In the last eight years we have had several floods exceeding the one in 100 year worst, so I'm not too reassured by the one in 1,000 year figure.

"If you take an area of ground with four waterways you have got to expect it is going to be a wet area.

"To start with the developers said there was no risk of flooding. Then they decided to raise the ground, so they have already gone back on their word.

"I would be interested to see whether, when the houses have been built, owners will be able to insure them."

Research suggests the worst flooding for 1,000 years could see flood levels reach 39.5cm, but Taylor Wimpey said an extra 20cm safety margin had been included to make sure water does not enter houses, even taking unpredictable climate change into account.

Wichelstowe project director David Evans said: "We were always confident that Wichelstowe had been designed to provide a robust protection against flooding and hope the result of this latest study will allay any concerns local people may have had about new homes being flooded in the future."