§ Mr. ChaytorTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the potential benefit to high flood risk areas of restoring drained wetlands and allowing them to flood. [147978]
§ Ms Beverley HughesNo specific assessment has been made but current flood management practices provide a measure of flood relief to urban properties in high-risk areas by allowing undeveloped land to flood. The benefits of managed retreat in coastal and estuarial situations have been recognised for some time and this is one of the options identified for assessment through shoreline management plans.
MAFF and the Environment Agency are currently developing guidance on river catchment assessments that will lead to catchment flood management plans. The restoration of flood-plain functions and washlands is likely to be one of the management options that will be considered in such plans. The revised draft PPG 25, on which we will be consulting shortly, will emphasise the need to consider flooding issues at the river catchment level. It will specifically advise that local plans should identify sites where managed realignment of coastal defences or restoration of functions to flood plains, could contribute to more sustainable flood management, as well as to amenity, landscape and biodiversity objectives.