§ Mr. LoveTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what role is played by the Environment Agency when local authorities are considering applications for planning permission to build housing on a flood plain; and if he will make a statement. [139414]
§ Ms Beverley HughesThe role of the Environment Agency is clearly explained in Circular 30/92 on "Development and Flood Risk", which is currently being revised and strengthened as the new PPG25. It is to advise on flood risk to the development proposed, on the basis of its own surveys of flood risk and any information provided by the applicant, and to advise how proposed development would itself affect flood risk. It also has to consider how development would affect rivers and existing new flood defence operations in relation to its own interests.
548WThe Agency is a statutory consultee for various types of development, including all development requiring environmental impact assessment and local planning authorities generally consult it on applications with flooding implications. As part of its flood defence supervisory duty, the Agency is committed to keeping its guidance to local planning authorities under review and updating it as needed. In partnership with local authorities, it reports to MAFF, DETR and the NAW on the success of its responses to planning applications, including where decisions have been against the Agency's advise.
As a possible means of strengthening the Agency's role, we are looking carefully at the responses to applications and considering the option of a Direction to local planning authorities for them to refer to the Secretary of State major applications which they propose to approve contrary to sustained objections from the Environment Agency.
§ Mr. NormanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the planning applications for building on flood plains which have been opposed by the Environment Agency in the past 12 months. [140719]
§ Mr. RaynsfordThis is information that is collated by the Environment Agency. They report annually in June to MAFF and DETR on MAFF's high-level target 12—Development in areas of flooding. The June 2000 report covered the period from October 1999 to March 2000, and included details of over 400 applications ranging from small extensions to major residential developments. The Agency has also recently cited over 900 applications to which they have objected in 1999–2000. I have asked the Agency for a copy and will look at it carefully when I receive it.