NewsBreakingOnline

Houses still being built on floodplains despite higher risk of flooding, says Committee on Climate Change Local authorities are continuing to allow tens of thousands of houses to be built on floodplains, despite a growing risk of flooding as climate change takes hold, according to a new report from the government’s climate adviser. The report, from a sub-unit of the Committee on Climate Change , also found a marked increase in the risk of drought across the country. At present, only 8% of key water “resource zones” – catchment areas for water – are in danger of a shortfall in supplies, even in a severe drought. Within 15 years, that number is likely to be about 45% if nothing is done, meaning millions of people could be affected. Lord Krebs, chair of the adaptation sub-committee, called on the government to begin taking action urgently, in order to head off much greater problems with drought and flooding. These could include tougher building regulations so that all houses were equipped with water-saving devices, including water meters, and those at risk of flood with preventive measures, ranging from sealed airbricks to raised floors and flood-resistant paint. He said: “By taking steps to manage this vulnerability, local communities, businesses and households can save money today and reduce the costs of climate change in the future.” At present, the UK is coping with these problems, but the committee warned that in key areas of infrastructure, such as water supply and flood protection, the country was “near its limits… and could be pushed over the edge by climate change”. Government cuts earlier this year reduced the number of flood defence projects by a thousand. Krebs said he was surprised at how many houses are still built on floodplains around the UK – around 12,000 to 16,000 every year in England alone. He said one of the key reasons could be aesthetic: houses built on high ground, where they are less at risk of flood, are more visible than those set in a valley, where they are at much greater flood risk. If people object to houses being visible in their view, that could put local authorities off attempting to build on more suitable ground. “My assumption is that local authorities are making trade-offs between floodplain building and considerations of natural beauty,” he said. David Symons, director at environmental consultancy WSP Environment & Energy, said planning policy should be changed drastically. He said: “Current planning policies provide too much wriggle room for local authorities. Although local authorities do have to consider and consult on flood risk, they have the power to ignore these findings completely and grant planning permission to new developments regardless of the risks. ” This was exacerbated by the government’s new assumption in favour of development, and because the government changed the way it funds flood mitigation – it now encourages match funding from the private sector for flood protection investments. “This means that development in the floodplain could be more likely if a developer is willing to pay the premium as part of obtaining planning permission,” said Symons. This could mean developers simply pay an upfront cost, leaving the householders to cope with the after-effects. Other infrastructure at risk from the effects of climate change includes roads and railways, the electricity grid, and communications networks. The committee’s report called for the companies involved to investigate further how they could cope with the possible effects. Krebs also urged people to take low-cost measures to help keep their houses cool in hot summers – these could be as simple as curtains. Flooding Climate change Committee on Climate Change Green politics Local government Fiona Harvey guardian.co.uk