The Environment Agency has recently published the National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England which outlines how Flooding and Coastal Erosion will be managed until 2100. This strategy sets out a long-term objective for Risk Management Authorities (RMAs) that include the Environment Agency, lead local flood authorities, utiliies etc to achieve three ambitions:
1. Climate resilient places: working with partners to bolster resilience to flooding and coastal change across the nation, both now and in the face of climate change
2. Today’s growth and infrastructure resilient in tomorrow’s climate: Making the right investment and planning decisions to secure sustainable growth and environmental improvements, as well as resilient infrastructure.
3. A nation ready to respond and adapt to flooding and coastal change: Ensuring local people understand their risk to flooding and coastal change and know their responsibilities and how to take action.
Over two-thirds of properties in England are served by infrastructure sites and networks located in, or dependent on others located in, areas at risk of flooding. Recent floods have demonstrated the vulnerability of critical infrastructure, such as electricity sub-stations and water treatment plants. Critical infrastructure affected by flooding can cause considerable disruption and economic damage. This directly affects peoples’ everyday lives by disrupting the essential services they rely on.
As the population grows, we are likely to see the number of properties in the flood plain almost double over the next 50 years. We must ensure that all new development is resilient to flooding and protects and enhances the environment. RMAs have a key role to play in engaging and advising developers and planners to get the right kind of sustainable growth in the right places. They should also be seizing opportunities for flood and coastal resilience activities to play their part in contributing to environmental net gain for development proposals.
A theme in the document proposes making greater use of nature-based solutions that take a catchment led approach to managing the flow of water to improve resilience to both floods and droughts
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Pressures for development are increasing. Planning rules are being eased. The Society’s commitment to standing up for Guildford is needed more than ever.
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