Is this the chance for PPS25 to show its teeth?

Reports that local authorities have chosen to ignore EA advice on the risk of flooding for major development plans will give new the planning policy an opportunity to show its teeth.

The Environmental Agency has recently stated that local authorities are going through with 14 major and 90 minor development plans against its advice and insurers say this will be the first opportunity to test effectiveness of the Policy Planning Statement 25 (PPS25)

Insurers in the past have expressed frustration over the seemingly little power the EA has wielded in terms of stopping developments from going ahead on flood plains.

Local authorities have typically had the final say when it comes to planning and in many cases the advice of the environmental watchdog has been ignored.

The PPS25 gives new authority to the Secretary of State to call in the development plans of which the EA has objected and to make the final decision.

Reports, however that both major and minor developments are going ahead despite flood risks has caused concern within the insurance industry with members questioning what this will mean as the government embarks upon plans to build three million more homes by 2020.

To achieve this goal, the government has said it will not rule out building on flood plains which is a decision that Alan Hewitt, property underwriting for Royal & SunAlliance said goes against the ABI’s Statement of Principles.

He said: “From an insurer’s perspective, building in areas at high risk of flooding can never be the right thing to do. It’s certainly not acting in the interests of the homeowner, who may be unaware of the risk only to move in to a new house and later experience the misery of flooding.”

Building in these plains can also have a knock on affect because construction can diminish an area of land’s ability to absorb water which could place other residents at greater risk.

Hewitt said: “Ensuring that new homes are built in the right location must form a key part in the nation’s overall strategy on reducing flood risk, along with other measure such as investing in flood defences and maintaining effective drainage systems.”

Mark Southgate, head of planning at the EA, said although there are slightly less reported cases of LPAs ignoring flood risk advice, he is hoping to see the number decline further due to PPS25.

He said: “It means in the future there will be less of these cases and more power to veto LPAs.

“We think flood risk is a particularly crucial area. Think of the human misery it brings. Many people (from June and July flooding) won’t be home for Christmas and we need to think carefully of putting buildings in risk areas.”