Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 5
5
Not Addressed
Surface water flooding remains poorly quantified, inconsistently planned, and underestimated nationally
Conclusion
Surface water flooding is the most common source of flooding in England, yet it remains poorly quantified, inconsistently planned for, and often underestimated in development decisions. It is also one of the least understood and least coordinated aspects of flood resilience nationally. This represents a major gap in national flood resilience that must be urgently addressed, though we acknowledge and welcome the Government’s commitment to improving surface water mapping and modelling. (Conclusion, Paragraph 30)
Government Response Summary
The government response focuses on supporting and funding nature-based solutions, including specific investment targets for natural flood management projects. It does not address the committee's concerns regarding surface water flooding being poorly quantified, inconsistently planned for, and underestimated.
Government Response
Not Addressed
HM Government
Not Addressed
The government supports and encourages the use of nature-based solutions. Natural flood management can play an important role in reducing flood risk while delivering wider benefits to the environment, people and communities. The government’s new funding policy includes strategic objectives that ensure that the new investment programme delivers key policy outcomes alongside value for money and reduced flood risk. This includes a target to ensure that at least 3% of flood and coastal erosion risk management 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 figure to date for the floods programme. 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. We are removing barriers that have held back use of natural flood management. We will: • remove the requirement for projects to demonstrate that properties would move to a lower risk band to be eligible for funding, something that natural flood management projects can struggle to demonstrate • prioritise projects by the overall benefits they deliver and the investment contributions they secure from partners – both will boost the prioritisation of natural flood management projects • remove the previous limit that meant projects could have no more than 20% of their outcomes as environmental benefits – something that held back natural flood management projects as they deliver multiple benefits • broaden access to funding by enabling a wider range of delivery partners to apply – something that natural flood management projects will benefit from as many are already delivered by environmental and community groups The National Planning Policy Framework encourages local planning authorities to make as much use as possible of natural flood management techniques as part of an integrated approach to flood risk management, in the process of making local plans. Integrating improving the visibility and tracking of flood assets Recommendation at paragraph 51: ‘Flood asset visibility and tracking must be improved. The Government should establish a national register of flood resilience assets, including both structural and nature-based interventions, with clear ownership, maintenance responsibilities, and condition assessments. This register should be publicly accessible and integrated with local flood risk management plans.’