Head
Office Press Office - 2-Oct-2006 - Development
proposals in flood risk areas will now come under
greater scrutiny with the Environment Agency being
granted new powers.
From this week (October 1),
the Environment Agency is a statutory consultee
on all development planning applications where
there is a risk of flooding.
Mark Southgate, the Environment
Agency’s Head of Planning, welcomed the new duty:
"An unavoidable consequence of climate change
is that the goal posts have shifted with regard
to flood risk management. Planning processes must
adapt if we are to encourage new development without
placing people and property at risk.
"Local Planning Authorities
must now consult the Environment Agency before
making any decision on planning applications for
developments in areas of greatest flood risk.
"They will also have to
consult the Environment Agency on all large scale
developments - over one hectare - wherever they
are located, to ensure that surface water runoff
will not cause flooding elsewhere," Mr Southgate
said.
The Government’s policy for
managing flood risk is currently set out in Planning
Policy Guidance note 25 ‘Development and Flood
Risk’ (PPG25), published in 2001. Its main aims
will be clarified and strengthened in the new
Planning Policy Statement 25 (PPS25) due out later
this year.
"These aims are to ensure
that flood risk is taken into account at all stages
of the planning process, to avoid inappropriate
development in areas at risk of flooding, and
to direct development away from areas at highest
risk.
"Although PPG25 advises
that the Environment Agency should be consulted
on planning applications in flood risk areas,
at present not all local planning authorities
routinely do so. This new power will make us a
statutory consultee for all significant planning
applications where flood risk is an issue.
"All local planning authorities
will now benefit from the expert advice available
at the Environment Agency when deciding planning
applications for development in areas of flood
risk.
"We need to make sure homes
- particularly for those who are vulnerable -
are built in a safe place. This will protect our
environment, but also protect people," Mr
Southgate said.
The new powers are contained
in amendments made by Government to the General
Development Procedure Order (1), and apply in
England only.
(1). The Town and Country Planning
(General Development Procedure) (Amendment) (NO.2)(England)
Order 2006: SI 2006, No 2375. The General Development
Procedure Order specifies the procedures connected
with planning applications, appeals to the Secretary
of State and related matters. In particular it
sets out in a table in article 10 of the consultations
that should be undertaken by a local planning
authority before granting planning permission
for certain categories of development.
