ABI: Strict planning needed to avoid flooding

Thursday, 14 February 2008 12:00 AM

Following revelations nearly half of those affected by last year's floods are still homeless, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) has called for stricter planning regulations to prevent a repeat of the disaster.

Floods struck Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire and south Wales during June and July last year, causing around £2 billion worth of damage, according to some estimates.

However, the government has been urged to do more to ensure the situation is not repeated in the future.

The ABI claims, of the three million new homes the government plan to be built by 2020, a third could be on the floodplain.

In response tougher planning controls must be introduced to prevent future building work being jeopardized by flooding, warns the ABI.

"The government's ambitious housing plans are in jeopardy unless we reduce the flood risk. In the last year, 13 major developments have been given the go-ahead despite Environment Agency advice on the flood risk," said Justin Jacobs, the ABI's assistant director of property.

"Where a local authority plans to ignore flood risk advice, the government should step in and review the proposals and be compelled to publish their decision.

"Insurers want to continue to provide flood cover, but poor planning decisions will lead to more homes becoming unsaleable, uninsurable and uninhabitable."

However, homebuilders have rejected the ABI demands, claiming the number of developments going ahead against Environment Agency advice is minimal, and that safeguards are already in place.

"There are already planning controls in place to ensure flood risks are minimal. Under the planning policy statement 25 (PPS25) we are compelled to ensure flood risk is taken into account at all stages in the planning process, avoiding inappropriate development in areas that are deemed to be at risk of flooding, and ensuring development is directed away from areas of high risk," said Chris Coates, managing director, Galliford Try Homes.

The government unveiled plans to build three million new homes in the UK by 2020 last year - and a balance has to be struck between the needs of the environment and the demands of population growth, according to developers.

More information is the answer to avoiding floods risks, says Galliford Try Homes.

"Instead of calling for stricter planning controls, I would suggest that energy is put into improving the quality of information that is currently available.

"One of the biggest issues faced by developers today is the lack of accurate information regarding actual flood plain areas/plans available," concluded Mr Coates.

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