In the run up to the deadline of the Government's review into the nation's preparation for flooding, the Planning and Climate Change Coalition, which is led by the Town and Country Planning Association (TCPA) and Friends of the Earth, has sent an open letter to the Prime Minister, David Cameron, urging him to ensure that the review, which the Prime Minister committed to publish by the end of the month, recognises the connection between climate change and extreme weather as well as the role of planning and good design in creating resilient communities. The Planning and Climate Change Coalition has also warned that failure to reverse proposed cuts to the Environment Agency will lead to worsening impacts from increasing flood events.
Dr Hugh Ellis, TCPA Head of Policy said: “Given the growing scale and frequency of flooding, it is critical the Government's flooding review reconsiders the advice and resources of the planning service to deal with future extreme weather events as a result of climate change, including reversing proposed cuts to the staffing levels at the Environment Agency.
“We welcome the Prime Minister's commitment to report back by the end of the month on the nation's ability to plan for, and respond to, flooding, following the recent devastating flooding across the country. However, in order for it to be a meaningful assessment into our capability to tackle flooding it must acknowledge the overwhelming scientific consensus of the role of climate change on increasing extreme weather events.”
“Given the growing scale and frequency of flooding, it is critical this review reconsiders the advice and resources of the planning service to deal with future extreme weather events as a result of climate change, including reversing proposed cuts to the staffing levels at the Environment Agency.”
“In particular, the review should acknowledge the role of good urban design, including along garden city principles, to deal with the challenges of flooding through building resilient high quality, well designed places that provide space for sustainable urban drainage, green infrastructure and enhanced biodiversity without adding cost to development. For example, green roofs can typically absorb around 50 per cent of rooftop runoff.”
The group writes that more extreme and intense weather events due to climate change are predicted. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the recent challenges of flooding are set within the wider context of the scientific analysis of climate change. Failure to do so will put the UK at risk of damage and the associated costs, both now and in the future - PwC has estimated that the recent floods will set back UK insurers £400million, whilst the 2007 floods cost the British economy over £3billion.
Friends of the Earth climate campaigner Guy Shrubsole said: "David Cameron is clearly well aware that flooding is set to increase drastically with climate change, but his Government is sitting on its hands.
"By cutting flood defence investment when it needs to grow to keep pace with our changing climate, the Coalition is putting some 250,000 extra households at flood risk needlessly.
"The Prime Minister must take responsibility for protecting households from worsening flooding by reversing these cuts - and carry out a serious review of whether the country is prepared for climate change."
The Planning and Climate Change Coalition have urged Government to:
9 Jan 2017
8 Dec 2016
29 Apr 2015
12 Mar 2015
12 Mar 2015Have you any commercial property events you'd like to tell us about? It could be networking, exhibitions, seminars, industry lunches or sporting fixtures. We will list them for free. Just email newsdesk@propnews.co.uk with the following details: Event name, date, time, venue, cost, booking info and a brief description of the event.
To list your property job vacancies on Property News. Email: richenda@propnews.co.uk.
RSS Feed
