Leeds residents in an estate nicknamed ‘soggy bottom’ have decried how “nonsensical” the nickname is.
They’ve claimed the derogatory nickname is nothing but misleading “propaganda” that it's built on a floodplain, devised to put people off Moseley Green in Cookridge. The inhabitants have proudly remarked on their drainage system which they've said keeps ‘soggy bottoms’ at bay.
The estate, built by Taylor Wimpey, is located on a hill by a stream called Moseley Beck. The landscape of the suave looking new build is scattered with “higgledy-piggledy” drainage burrows along the rolling hill which the residents swear by.
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The estate has been a matter of controversy since its conception as the land was previously a green field site which offered a glorious view to nearby residents, a place to walk their dogs and a playing field.
There were demonstrators out in force in picket lines with signs simply reading ‘soggy bottom’. A naked protest was even held by the Cookridge Residents Action Group.
Their chairman Michael Lowry penned a protest song called ‘Soggy Bottom Calypso’ back in 2013. It was performed on guitar and complimented with two backing singers and maracas, about how the residents “loved our soggy bottom” the way it was (see below).
Protesters claimed the land was a flood risk and argued money would be better spent on a brownfield site, far away from them. These efforts came to nought and planning permission was granted.
One resident, Mathew Lloyd, 48, has rubbished the notion he lives on a floodplain. He said: “I’d say it’s nonsense. It’s propaganda to prevent the expansion of the building development.”
Mathew is a mechanical engineer and has lived there since 2018, one of the first residents to move there. He says he’s not the type of man who would have taken the decision to live there lightly.
Pointing at the drainage burrows, he said: “It’s not on a floodplain. I obviously did a lot of research and I’m an engineer. It was pushed as being on a floodplain but if you look at all the geographical studies, it’s not.
“A lot of residents used this as their playing field with dog walking. On Facebook, people were saying ‘This is a floodplain, you shouldn’t be building there!’ You can appreciate they had a beautiful view outside their house and now they have a building development."
Commenting on the nickname, the engineer added: “I take it with a pinch of salt to be honest. Friends who live around here know it as soggy bottom.”
'No problems with flooding'
Harry Walker, 18, lives there with his parents and his dog and says he’s also never had any issues. He said: “We’ve had no problems with flooding.
"I’m pretty sure it was a floodplain as there were some concerns as we’ve got a load of flood defences built around here. I’m pretty sure there’s an underground reservoir and there’s a lot of gates.
“Nothing major has happened while we’ve been here so I’ve not really thought about it.”
Harry even says the nickname has become an affectionate one and he uses it to describe where he lives. The 18-year-old chuckles: “When someone asks me where I live, I go in ‘soggy bottom, Cookridge’ and if they don’t know where that is, I just say 'the new estate in Cookridge'.
"It’s 'meant' to be absolutely soaking wet and flooded constantly but it’s alright. I’m not offended by it and if you are, then you’re not a strong person if you get offended.”
'It’s not ‘soggy bottom’'
Luci Unsworth also dismissed the nickname as nothing but “slang”, she’s admitted the land is more fertile however. The 51-year-old said: “It’s called ‘soggy bottom’ and that’s why it’s all up and down and higgledy-piggledy because there’s so much drainage going on.
“It’s not ‘soggy bottom’, it’s only the slang for it. I’m okay with it, it’s a lovely neighbourhood. I don’t get any flooding but my dad cuts the grass and he’s said he needs to cut the grass a lot more here than in Horsforth, it grows a lot quicker here.”
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