According to a new report by think-tank Localis, government departments must work together to fulfill promises made in opposition to improve flood defences and increase planning resilience. The report, titled “Plain Dealing Revisited – planning for flood resilience,” urges environment and housing ministers to collaborate in order to effectively address the ongoing issue of flood risk in the UK.
The report highlights that in the three years since their original “Plain Dealing” report, the demand for housing and pressure on local authorities has led to continued development in floodplain areas. Localis conducted research on the public planning portals of 12 English council areas with the highest percentage of properties at risk of flooding in the first half of 2024. The findings revealed that 7,116 new dwellings were in the planning pipeline, with 1,006 being new permissions for 2024. Additionally, 2,389 new dwellings were granted planning permission on previously developed land or through change-of-use applications.
This is a significant increase compared to the data collected in 2021 for the previous report, which showed that the same councils granted 1,104 new homes to be built on floodplain land in the first six months of that year. The report also highlights that currently there are no laws against granting planning permission for homes in high-risk flood areas, and the Environment Agency has recorded 267 instances of homes being granted planning permission against their advice on flood risk in the year 2022-23 alone.
In light of these findings, Localis makes several recommendations for government action. These include empowering the recently established Flood Resilience Taskforce to not only provide new flood defences but also review existing schemes and how resilience measures are implemented in the planning system. The report also calls for an increase in the Environment Agency’s capacity to maintain flood defence assets and enforce planning regulations. Furthermore, it recommends that the Planning and Infrastructure Bill and the revised National Planning Policy Framework be used to consolidate and reinforce planning resilience measures.
Jonathan Werran, chief executive of Localis, emphasizes the need for a renewed urgency for joined-up government in addressing this issue. He points out that while the government’s objectives of delivering up to 370,000 new homes a year and enhancing resilience against flood risk are not incompatible, they do require tighter and harmonized policy levers.
Sandy Forsyth, Localis’ lead clean growth researcher, adds that as long as new planning consents continue to be granted for homes in flood zones on undeveloped land, communities and homeowners will continue to face compounded risks. She calls for changes to the rules to prevent unnecessary development in high-risk flood areas and ensure that new homes are more resilient to floods.
Caroline Johnson, claims director of personal lines insurance at Allianz UK, also expresses concern over the number of homes being given planning permission in these areas. She highlights the traumatic impact of floods on homeowners and stresses the importance of national and local planners and developers working together to prevent development in high-risk flood areas and ensure that new homes are more resilient to floods.
For press inquiries, please contact Jonathan Werran, chief executive of Localis, at jonathan.werran@localis.org.uk. An advance copy of the report is available for download at www.localis.org.uk.
About Localis:
Localis is an independent think-tank dedicated to issues related to politics, public service reform, and localism. They conduct innovative research, hold events, and facilitate a growing network of members to stimulate and challenge current governance practices in the UK.
About Allianz:
The Allianz Group is one of the world’s leading insurers and asset managers, serving around 125 million private and corporate customers in almost 70 countries. They offer a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, from property and life insurance to credit insurance and global business insurance. The Allianz Group is also a major investor, managing around 741 billion euros on behalf of its insurance customers. They are committed to incorporating ecological and social criteria into their business processes and investment decisions, making them leaders in the insurance industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2023, they achieved a total business volume of 161.7 billion euros and an operating profit of 14.7 billion euros.
Key report recommendations:
– The Flood Resilience Taskforce should be given an expanded remit to examine existing flood defences, improve public information, and review how resilience measures are implemented in the planning system.
– The Minister for Water and Flooding should be given a joint brief covering the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), with the responsibility of overseeing the taskforce and implementing its recommendations.
– The Environment Agency’s capacity must be improved to maintain flood defence assets and enforce regulations in planning. The Taskforce should be given a remit to examine how this can be achieved.
– The Taskforce
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