The Environment Agency has advised that the number of planning applications given planning permission against its advice on flood risk grounds over the past five years, and the number of local planning authorities (LPAs) this represented, is as follows:
Total number of planning applications permitted against Environment Agency advice on flood risk Total number of LPAs granting planning permission against an Environment Agency flood risk objection 2003-04 323 85 2004-05 248 108 2005-06 136 82 2006-07 110 72 2007-08 124 76
Planning policy statement (PPS) 25, ‘Development and Flood Risk’, was published in December 2006. Prior to that date, national planning policy on development and flood risk was set out in planning policy guidance note 25. These policies apply only to England.
It is for the local planning authority to determine planning applications in accordance with the development plan for the area, taking account of the particular circumstances of each application and subject to other material planning considerations.
Further detailed information about the extent to which local planning authorities have taken account of the Environment Agency’s advice on flood risk is set out in the Environment Agency’s annual ‘Development and Flood Risk’ monitoring report. The most recent report was published in February 2009, covering the period 2007-08. This shows that where flood risk was an issue, around 96 per cent. of all planning application decisions, as notified to the Environment Agency, were in line with the Environment Agency’s advice.