On 24th June, Blake Stephenson MP presented the Planning (Flooding) 10 Minute Rule Bill to Parliament.  In his address, Blake highlighted the inadequacies of existing planning policy to mitigate flood risk and the impact that new development can have both on-site and downstream.  The Bill, as proposed, would:

• Amend Schedule 4 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 to make Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) statutory consultees on planning applications in or close to the area that they cover.
• Ensure that IDBs can only be removed as a statutory consultee if they are replaced by another body to provide guidance on flood risk.
• Introduce a presumption against development where one of the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA), the Environment Agency, or the IDB consider that development would increase flood risk for existing properties.
• Create a new incentive for developers to ensure that proper consideration is given to flood risk by allowing planning authorities to reject future planning applications from developers based on past failures to deliver or maintain Sustainable Drainage Systems.
• Require the Secretary of State to publish statutory guidance, prepared by a panel of experts, for planning authorities and LLFAs on the minimum expected standards for drainage and maintenance in new developments.

The Bill was supported by MPs David Simmonds, Nick Timothy, Gagan Mohindra, Ben Spencer, Sarah Bool, Alison Griffiths, Jack Rankin, Rebecca Paul, Lewis Cocking and Paul Holmes.  The Bill’s second reading will be on Friday, 11th July.

Blake Stephenson MP was a vice-chair to Policy Connect’s recent Bricks and Water inquiry on flood risk management, available here.