Mayor of Linden Dominique Blair has warned that unauthorised construction on open spaces within the community is contributing to flooding, as the Linden Mayor and Town Council (LM&TC) prepares to act against illegal structures.
Blair pointed to developments in Blueberry Hill, Wismar, where he said individuals have been building shops on community spaces without council approval. He said the spaces were designed to accommodate water flowing from higher ground, and structures erected there are now interfering with drainage.
“We noticed that persons are now building shops on the community space. They have no permission from Council,” Blair said.
He said the construction is contributing to flooding because the area was designed to channel water from the hill into the valley, warning that altering the natural flow of water can create wider environmental issues, including erosion.
“Now you’re putting up a structure, now you have to divert water that is slated to go to the valleys. Then you’re putting a structure, now you divert the water to a different area. Now we’re causing erosion. And it’s a domino effect,” Blair said.
He said the issue extends beyond Blueberry Hill, with the council identifying other open spaces across the municipality where structures are being erected without approval.
The Mayor said the council will initially seek to engage those responsible and encourage corrective measures before taking stronger action.
“We want to take a soft approach first, engaging those violators so we could push corrective measures,” Blair said.
He also defended the need to preserve designated open spaces, particularly those intended for children, noting that some spaces have historically been used for recreation and should not be converted into commercial sites.
“These areas are designed for kids within the community,” he said.
