Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 12
12
Planning system fails to account for cumulative development impacts on flood risk.
Conclusion
As our recent report on flood resilience stated, the planning system fails to account for the cumulative and cross-boundary impacts of development on flood risk. Land use decisions are often made in isolation, without considering downstream consequences, catchment-scale dynamics, or long-term resilience. This fragmented approach undermines catchment- based and natural flood management, can lead to new development in floodplains, increases exposure for vulnerable communities, and represents a critical weakness in national flood strategy. (Conclusion, Paragraph 61)
Government Response
A response document is linked to this report, dated 13 March 2026. Response attribution to this conclusion has not been verified. Read the response document ↗