The claim comes in the wake of the Development and Flood Risk conference in London, which gathered together experts from across Government and the commercial sector and looked at the potential impact and implementation of the updated PPS25 Practice Guide launched by Hilary Benn last month (12th June). Commenting at the event, Ogunyoye claimed the new guidance ushers in a more strategic era of flood prevention and assessment, providing local authorities with a clearer framework for ensuring flood risk is considered at all stages of the development planning process.

Ogunyoye stated: “Despite the current doom and gloom pervading around our readiness for future floods, the UK flood community has agreed a sensible and feasible way forward in the shape of the current PPS25 and the associated guidance. As the Pitt Review rightly concludes, it will embed flood risk preparations and strategies within the heart of local authorities’ planning processes and ensure all current and future developments have floods front of mind throughout.

The difficult implementation issues identified from the previous Guide have now been clarified so local authorities and developers have no excuse for not being fully equipped to ensure all flood risk issues are explored and appropriate solutions identified.

With Strategic Flood Risk Assessments now being promoted as the norm, not the exception we, at least, are confident that the guidance should safeguard a sustainable and flood-ready future for all local communities and reduce the complexities currently being faced when carrying out flood risk assessments for individual developments.”

Local authorities are at a key stage in their development of local frameworks, in particular regarding the allocation of areas for future development of sustainable communities. The PPS25 practice guide will provide them with a clear risk management framework through a systematic process of assessing, avoiding, substituting, controlling and mitigating flood risk – in that order.

The seminar is one of a series of regional events hosted by Royal Haskoning, in conjunction with the Department for Communities and Local Government, on the delivery of PPS25 through the local planning and development frameworks. Royal Haskoning presented several case studies looking at how flood risk assessments have been carried out to ensure both sustainable growth and flood risk reduction, as well as the role and impact of Strategic Flood Risk Assessments. Other speakers included the DCLG, Defra, Greater London Authority, Association of British Insurers and the Environment Agency.
Further information can be found at: www.rh-developmentandfloodrisk.co.uk

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