§ Mr. DawsonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review planning guidance in respect of areas prone to flooding; and if he will make a statement. [60243]
§ Mr. RaynsfordExisting guidance, which was issued in 1992 as DOE Circular 30/92 (MAFF Circular FD 1/92), already advises strongly against development in areas prone to flooding. The Independent Review of the Easter Floods found that, in recent years, local planning authorities had heeded advice from the Environment Agency on development in flood plains but that there was a legacy of imprudent past development in areas at risk of flooding.
The Government indicated in their response to the Agriculture Select Committee Report on Flood and Coastal Defence (House of Commons Paper 1117), which was published on 29 October, that they will consider, in the light of that report and the recent report of the Independent Review of the Easter Floods, together with any specific evidence from the Environment Agency or any other parties regarding deficiencies in the planning system, whether the present guidance to local planning authorities needs to be made even more emphatic. My Department will review the evidence with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Environment Agency to determine by the spring of next year what revision, if any, would help in directing future development so as to avoid adding to the problem.
Meanwhile, the Government continue to look to local planning authorities and the Environment Agency to maintain effective liaison on flood risk matters, both in terms of preparing development plans and in determining individual planning applications. In doing so, local authorities should continue to take the advice of Circular 30/92 into account.