29/03/2005 - New Government
plans will give the Environment Agency a new
role in managing all forms of flooding and
coastal erosion in England. As well as looking
after river and coastal flooding, the Government
is proposing the Agency will oversee the management
of flood risk from groundwater, surface run
off and urban drainage, and also take responsibility
for integrated management of coastal erosion
and flood risk.
This additional role for the Agency is among
plans announced by Environment Minister Elliot
Morley for a new 20 year strategy for flood
and coastal risk management for England, driven
by the need to deal with expected major impacts
of climate change.
In a related announcement from the Office
of the Deputy Prime Minister on plans to strengthen
planning policy for flood risk announced,
Planning Minister Keith Hill revealed there
will be consultation on a provision for a
Direction that would allow major development
proposals to be referred to Ministers when
the Environment Agency's advice not to build
on flood risk grounds is not followed by local
authorities. In 2003/4, 12% of development
proposals to which the Environment Agency
objected nevertheless went ahead against its
advice.
Commenting on both sets of proposals, Environment
Agency Chief Executive Barbara Young said:
"We very much welcome both the new strategic
role proposed for the Agency and also the
acceptance of the need for a more rigorous
approach to controlling development in the
flood plain. We can no longer hide from the
fact that climate change will significantly
increase the dangers faced by the public and
business from increased rainfall and sea level
rise."
"The Government's proposals will allow
us to address the challenges we face in a
joinede way. None of these proposals is without
cost, and whilst spending on flood risk management
has increased significantly in recent years
we look forward to working with Government
to find new and innovative ways of increasing
expenditure on climate change responses. "
Also included in the flood and coastal risk
management strategy proporsal are plans for
a series of pilot projects aimed at finding
joined up solutions to the often complex causes
of urban flooding.
Barbara Young said:
"Urban flooding is a particular problem
because of the number of contributory causes
- including run-off from roads and built developments,
for example - and the number of organisations
involved, each with its own responsibilities.
During the floods of Autumn 2000, for example,
failing drainage systems were the cause of
over 40% of flooding, much of it polluted.
While only 4% of flooding is urban, the damage
arising accounts for 20% of flood related
payments made by insurance companies. Future
solutions for towns like Carlisle, for example,
will depend on good integrated solutions to
the risks, wherever their source. We look
forward to contribution to work in this area."
Key proposals from the strategy include:
a new, integrated approach to flood and coastal
risk management, including coastal erosion,
with strategic overview by the Environment
Agency
£2 million for urban flood management
pilot studies
plans to look at resilience grants for flood
prone households
a new approach to the coast and rivers with
some withdrawal of defences providing wildlife
and social/economic benefits from partnership
approaches
a new look at finding resources to support
those disadvantaged by changing coastlines.
The strategy is for England only. The Environment
Agency looks forward to working with the Welsh
Assembly Government in due course on its strategy
for Wales.
Announcing the decision to revise and strengthen
planning policy on development and flood risk
in England as part of the Government's overall
approach to managing future flood and coastal
erosion risks, planning Minister Keith Hill
confirmed plans to consult on a provision
for a flood risk Direction. This could mean
that applications for major development in
flood risk areas could be referred to the
Secretary of State for possible call-in, where
the advice of the Environment Agency is not
being followed.
Environment Agency Chief Executive Barbara
Young said:
"I am very pleased by the commitment
to new planning policy on flood risk, including
the emphasis on Flood Risk Assessments, and
the proposal for a Flooding Direction.
"About half of the Environment Agency's
current planning objections to local planning
authorities are because applications come
forward with no flood risk assessment and
the new PPS25 should rectify this. Also, around
12% of developments to which we object still
go ahead against our advice. We welcome the
consultation on putting
major cases before Ministers for their considered
view before permission is granted contrary
to Environment Agency advice."
Notes to Editors
The Government's First Response to Making
space for water: Taking forward a new Government
strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk
management in England was published by the
Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs (Defra) on Thursday 24 March 2005.
For more information see the Defra website
www.defra.gov.uk
When Planning Policy Guidance 25 (Development
and flood risk) was published in July 2001,
the Government promised to review it after
three years. This was to ensure it kept pace
with emerging knowledge on climate change
and potential impacts on flood risk.
The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM)
therefore carried out a consultation between
July and the end of October 2004 in parallel
with the government-wide consultation, led
by Defra, on Making Space for Water. This
gave stakeholders an opportunity to express
their views on PPG25, and whether there was
a need to revise it. Responses showed that
PPG25 needed to be clarified and strengthened
in some respects if those policies are to
be implemented to full effect. The Government
announced how it intends to do this on Thursday
24 March 2005. Full details can be found on
the ODPM website www.odpm.gov.uk
