In December 2006 we published Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 25 “Development and Flood Risk” to strengthen protection against flood risk in the planning system.
We extended the Environment Agency's statutory consultee role so that it now has to be consulted on planning applications in flood risk areas (The regulation came into force on 1 October 2006).
A planning Direction supports PPS25, providing greater scrutiny for major developments proposed in flood risk areas. Where local authorities intend to approve applications that the Environment Agency still objects to, Government Offices can consider whether to call the application in for decision by the Secretary of State.
PPS25 is available at:
http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=l504639
The Environment Agency is a key stakeholder on flood risk issues as it has statutory responsibility for flood management and defence in England and will support the planning system by providing timely information and advice on flooding issues that is fit for purpose. Officials have worked very closely with the Environment Agency in developing Planning Policy Statement 25 Development and Flood Risk (published December 2006). We are continuing to work closely with the Environment Agency on the development of the Practice Guide Companion to PPS25 which will be published later this year.
As part of the monitoring by the Environment Agency and Local Government Association of the planning process we have taken forward recommendations to strengthen the role of the Environment Agency. We have made them a statutory consultee (from October 2006) for all developments in flood risk areas and also introduced a flooding Direction 2007 which allows call-in to be considered if the Environment Agency sustains an objection to a development on flood risk grounds.