HC Deb 14 February 2001 vol 363 cc156-7W
Mr. Gale

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what consideration his Department has given to the implications of construction on flood plains on the south coast; what his assessments are of the increased risk of flooding from such construction; what preconditions have been imposed to guarantee the satisfactory disposal of sewage, wastewater and groundwater resulting from the construction of new housing estates and service roads; and if he will make a statement. [150117]

Ms Beverley Hughes

Policy INF1 in the draft Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG9) states thatDevelopment should be guided away from areas at risk or likely to be at risk in future from flooding, or where it would increase the risk of flood damage elsewhere".

The draft RPG advises that management proposals for the costal zone will also need to reflect strategies agreed between relevant bodies for flood defence. Shoreline management plans now exist for the whole of the south coast. These contribute towards the necessary understanding of coastal processes to inform the planning system in its assessment of flood risk and construction.

The revised draft of Planning Policy Guidance Note (PPG) 25 "Development and flood risk", published on 6 February, states: those proposing particular developments are responsible for: providing an assessment of whether any proposed development is likely to be affected by flooding, whether it will increase flood risk elsewhere and of the measures proposed to deal with these effects and risks. It is then for the local planning authority, advised as necessary by the Environment Agency, to determine an application for planning permission taking account of all material considerations".

The draft guidance also advises that, in reviewing sites at risk of flooding when preparing local plans, local planning authorities should review both existing and possible future allocations of land for development against the risk-based criteria set out in the sequential test in the draft PPG.

The disposal of sewage, wastewater and groundwater resulting from the construction of new houses and service roads can be material considerations in the determination of applications for planning permission and should also be taken into account in preparing development plans. The draft PPG 25 advises on the need for close liaison between local authorities, the Environment Agency, sewerage undertakers and prospective developers to encourage the use of sustainable drainage systems and minimise the impacts of their discharges on receiving watercourses. In addition, the Government consulted in 2000 on amendments to Part H of the Building Regulations, proposing a number of amendments related to sustainable drainage. There are also proposals to reduce the risk of sewer flooding by the use of the anti-flood valves and pumps from basement connections and buildings in low-lying areas.

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