Builders 'behind UK flooding risk'

By Roger Harrabin BBC environment analyst

New housing developments that contribute to the risk of flooding are still being built, MPs say.

House builders are supposed to create housing schemes that catch water with features like green roofs and porous road surfaces.

The government has frequently said it's committed to reducing flood risk.

But the Commons Environment, Food & Rural Affairs committee says rules on drainage for new homes are still weak and poorly enforced.

The MPs say this has to change, because the government's commitment of a million new homes by 2020 must be achieved without an increase in flood risk.

The idea of catching water where it falls has shot up the policy agenda following heavy flooding in recent years.

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In November, the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee – made up of MPs from across the political spectrum – released their report on Future Flood Prevention, outlining the steps they see as necessary to reduce the impact of extreme future weather. According to a recent piece, published by Ambiental, more onus should be placed on developers.

CALLS TO 'NAME & SHAME' DEVELOPERS

As a further incentive to minimise poor development, the Committee suggest stronger powers for holding developers to account for poor planning. They propose naming and shaming those ignoring advice on drainage by publishing an ‘annual summary of planning decisions taken against EA advice’.

DEVELOPERS TO MEET COSTS OF FLOODING

They also want to ‘place statutory liability on developers to meet costs of flooding where development fails to comply with planning conditions.’ All of these measures should help to prevent flooding risk being exacerbated by irresponsible development.

The committee launched a public inquiry and took evidence from a number of interested parties and experts in the area, as well as undertaking visits to the Somerset Levels, Pickering, York, the Netherlands, and the ‘Moorsfor the Future’ project near Sheffield.

The report highlights previous issues with irresponsible development in floodplains, and proposes new measures to hold developers to account.

There is an emphasis on Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) in new developments. The committee urge Defra to ‘set out how the Government’s review of sustainable drainage regulations will ensure that SUDs are deployed to maximum effect in all new Englishdevelopments.’

They also suggest more joined up thinking is required in this area, proposing that water and sewerage organisations should have a say in the planning process, so as to pre-empt future flood risks caused by poorly drained developments.

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