New
developments
38. The planning and design of new developments
raised more questions than the construction of flood defences.
It appears that new developments are planned with the main objective
of creating a certain number of new homes and, as with water supply,
the implications for flood risk are a subsidiary issue. However,
it is at the planning stage that most can be done to minimise
flood risk and to minimise the damage that flooding will do.
39. The first and most important step is deciding
where new developments are to be built. Although many of our largest
cities, including London, are already built on flood plains, our
witnesses agreed that new developments should avoid areas of high
flood risk. The Environment Agency argued that some developments
such as vulnerable households and facilities should never be on
the flood plain.[33]
The guidance to local authorities on this matter appears to be
weak: the Environment Agency, which has responsibilities for flood
defence, is not a statutory consultee for flood risk.[34]
40. If some new housing must be built on flood
plains, planners can ensure that there are areas within the development,
such as parks, that will hold floodwater if drainage systems are
overwhelmed. The planning stage should also be an opportunity
to ensure that the drainage and sewerage systems will rarely be
overwhelmed because they are designed with climate change and
the likely increased risk of flooding in mind. In this, we echo
the conclusions reached by our predecessor committee, the Environment,
Transport and the Regions Committee, in their report on development
on the flood plain.[35]
41. For those properties at high risk, there
are ways of increasing their resilience to flood damage. For example,
the electricity supply can be brought in from above and the ground
floor furniture and flooring can be made from less easily damaged
materials.
42. Planning policy is crucial in determining
the flood risk that communities will face in the future. Planning
policy guidance should take account of the likely future flood
risk as well as present-day risk. The Environment Agency should
now be a statutory consultee for flood risk assessments. Any new
developments that are built in flood-prone areas should be designed
to be as resilient to the effects of flooding as possible.
43. Sewer flooding is particularly hazardous
and distressing for those affected. The Government, water companies
and the regulators should work together to ensure that the risk
of sewer flooding is minimised, both for new and existing developments.
For new developments, sewers should be designed to cope with the
likely future volume of flow. For existing developments, water
companies should upgrade existing sewers where possible and Ofwat
should include the expense of doing so in the price limits it
sets. The Government should encourage the use of sustainable drainage
systems to reduce the pressure on sewers during periods of high
rainfall.
Insurance
44. At present, flood cover is included as a
standard feature of household insurance policies. The increase
in flooding expected to result from climate change will have a
large impact on insurance: in a recent report, the Association
of British Insurers estimated that claims could triple. This has
given rise to fears that companies may refuse to insure some properties,
or that some householders will be unable to afford to insure their
homes against flood.
45. The Association of British Insurers told
us that the insurance industry has worked with the Government
to agree a Statement of Principles which sets out the industry's
intention to continue to offer flood insurance for as many domestic
customers as possible, provided that the Government takes steps
to manage flood risk. It said:
Flood cover will be available as a standard feature
of household and small business policies—for properties
already protected to the Government's minimum indicative standard
of 1.3% annual probability of flooding. Insurers cannot guarantee
to maintain cover for properties that are less well-protected,
but will examine the risks on a case-by-case basis, and use their
best efforts to continue to provide cover.[36]
46. We welcome the insurance industry's Statement
of Principles on flood cover. However, we are concerned that some
areas may become uninsurable should flood risk increase as the
result of climate change. We recommend that the Government identify
which areas will face the greatest problems in getting insurance.
The Government should then explore alternative ways in which people
in these areas can manage their flood risk.
29 www.foresight.gov.uk/fcd.html Back
30
Q237 Back
31
Evs 112-113, paras 4-7; Evs 140-141, paras 6.3, 7.3-7.4; Q297 Back
32
Agriculture Committee, Sixth Report of Session 1997-98, Flood
and Coastal Defence, HC 707-I, para 9 Back
33
Q299. Occupants of low-cost housing may find it particularly difficult
to afford flood insurance and the costs of repairing their homes
in the event of flood. Back
34
Ev 76, para 4.7 Back
35
Environment, Transport and the Regions Committee, Second Report
of Session 2000-01, Development on, or affecting, the flood plain,
HC 64 Back
36
Ev 33, para 8 Back
