Source · Select Committees · Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee
Recommendation 24
24
Accepted
Paragraph: 94
We recognise the concerns of several stakeholders about site-specific Flood Risk Assessments, and the Government...
Recommendation
We recognise the concerns of several stakeholders about site-specific Flood Risk Assessments, and the Government should use its reform of the planning system as an opportunity to investigate this issue further. The Government’s standardisation of technical supporting information should include an evaluation of the current arrangements for the preparation and content of site-specific Flood Risk Assessments, and whether these adequately contribute to flood resilience objectives and public confidence.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government accepts the recommendation, stating that proposed planning reforms include standardisation of technical supporting information for flood risk, and the Environment Agency is developing a new National Flood Risk Assessment to provide more accessible and trusted data by 2024.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
94
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government · verbatim extract
Accepted
The Planning for the Future White Paper proposes reforms to streamline the planning application process including “greater standardisation of technical supporting information”, including flood risk, with “clear national data standards and templates developed in conjunction with statutory consultees”. Currently the Environment Agency provides specific guidance on the technical content of Flood Risk Assessments for developers and local planning authorities and in 2020 updated its guidance on these assessments to take account of the 2018 UK Climate Projections. The Environment Agency is currently developing a new National Flood Risk Assessment that will provide a single picture of current and future flood risk from rivers, the sea and surface water, using both existing detailed local information and improved national data. It will launch by 2024 and will be available as open data and will provide more accessible and trusted data and information for accessing the local risk and making appropriate
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