Guidance Notes and Best Practice Guides
CLG: New guidance gives councils five clear steps for maximising the planning rules to better manage flood risks in their area. It is now compulsory to consult with the Environment Agency on planning applications in flood risk areas and where councils ignore their advice on major developments the Government will intervene. Six regional workshops have been organised in partnership with the Environment Agency and members of the insurance industry, to reinforce this message to local councils.
The five steps set out in the planning guidance that councils should follow for deciding new development are:
* Identify what the flood risks are including river/sea breaches, inadequate drainage & surface water run off or sewer problems
* Avoid risk by prioritising non-flood areas first for new development
* Critically assess if the need for a new development outweighs flood risk, including following EA advice
* Control flooding using sustainable drainage & good design
* Ensure all new buildings that have to be in areas that might flood are resilient & safe
Press release ~ Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk - Practice Guide ~ CLG – Development and Flood Risk ~ 2004 Foresight Future flooding report ~ Defra – Flood management ~ Environment Agency - 2007 summer floods ~ The interim conclusions of The Pitt Review - Learning Lessons from the 2007 Floods ~ Hilary Benn’s statement ~ Pitt Review ~ Climate Change Bill ~ Preparing for emergencies ~ Local Resilience Forums ~ UK Resilience ~ Environment Agency Report: Building and maintaining river and coastal flood defences in England
