Recommendation 37

HM Government · verbatim extract Not Addressed

65. Protecting communities around the country from flooding is a priority for this Government, which is why we are making a record £10.5 billion investment until 2036, delivering the largest flood and coastal investment programme in history. Our full response to the committee’s ‘Flood Resilience in England’ report was published on 23 December 2025. 66. The Government supports and encourages the use of nature-based solutions, as we recognise how natural flood management can play an important role in reducing flood risk while delivering wider benefits to the environment, people and communities. 67. The Government’s new funding policy includes a target to ensure that at least 3% of flood investment over the next three years, and 4% over the next ten years, is directed towards standalone natural flood management projects. This equates to at least £300 million, the highest ever figure for the floods programme. Total investment will be even higher, once natural flood management in combination with traditional engineered protection is included. All projects are encouraged to consider this combined approach. 68. In June 2025, the Government introduced new national standards, making clear that sustainable drainage systems should be designed to cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits in the form of flood prevention and reductions in storm overflow use, offering reuse opportunities, reducing run off, and helping to improve water quality, amenity, and biodiversity. 69. The NPPF already requires new development which could have drainage implications to incorporate sustainable drainage systems, unless there is clear evidence that this would be inappropriate. To further improve the quality of such schemes secured through the planning system, on 16 December 2025 Government published a consultation on a new NPPF which included proposed a requirement for these to be designed in accordance with the new national sustainable drainage systems standards. 70. This Government believes that better delivery of sustainable drainage systems can be achieved through its improvements to planning policy and improving the approach to adoption and maintenance, rather than commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010, but this position will be kept under review in the light of responses to relevant consultations. Sustainable Construction