Environment – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 3:00 pm on 7 December 2009.
The strategic flood map for Northern Ireland and, when available, other information sources such as local evidence and detailed study maps, are used by my Department to inform the manning process for managing development. When determining planning applications, if a flood risk is known to exist, my officials pay regard to the policy that is set out in policy planning statement 15, which seeks to avoid, whenever possible, development on flood plains. However, when there are compelling reasons for the development to take place, PPS 15 requires the developer to provide a robust flood-risk assessment and suitable mitigation measures. In most cases, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s Rivers Agency is consulted for advice.
What warnings, if any, did residents who were affected by flooding in recent weeks receive as a result of the information in the strategic flood map? Furthermore, in light of the recent floods in Belfast and Fermanagh, on how many flood plains has there been development, thereby removing the natural resources on which people relied in the past? Finally, how many households have been alerted to take action because they are situated in areas liable to flood?
The Member has asked the wrong Minister for an answer to some of his questions. I recall from my days on the Committee for Agriculture and Rural Development that approximately 16,000 homes are on a potential flood plain. That figure may not be precise, but it is my recollection, so the Member may wish to ask the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Information to let householders know about flood risks comes from the Met Office and is disseminated to local authorities, which then take action. Local authorities take the lead in emergency planning; therefore if there is a significant flood risk, the local authority issues warnings.
November saw the heaviest rainfall since 1951. Given that there has been much more flooding recently and that we seem to be entering a period in which there will be more problems as a result of flooding, how realistic is the strategic flood map that was created in November 2008?
Although annual rainfall levels are not significantly higher, it is evident that we now have greater concentrations of rain, which is why my Department is developing its sustainable urban development policy and, in particular, installing impervious materials around residential developments in built-up areas to ensure greater absorbency. As a result, water that is caught will be able to be released more slowly into water systems.
The Minister will agree that the strategic flood map has been a useful education tool. However, does he agree that we should be moving on and that more clarity is required from the Planning Service about development on flood plains? Will applications for developments on flood plains be refused? Is that the end of the matter, or are such decisions still a grey area for the Planning Service?
The general principle is that planning applications for developments on flood plains will be refused. Where there are significant mitigating circumstances and a particular need is demonstrated, the applicants must demonstrate how they would deal with any potential flooding problems and ensure that the properties being built would not be subject to flooding. That is all dealt with in PPS 15, which is a fairly clear document.
Admittedly, the map is not sufficiently accurate to determine the flood risk to individual properties at specific locations. Will the Minister look into the possibility of carrying out more detailed work, perhaps with other Ministers, in at-risk areas to identify such risks, particularly in parts of my constituency, such as the Glens and Ballymena.
Again, that issue is really one for DARD and the Rivers Agency. We consult DARD to identify the areas that are subject to flooding and it passes the information on to us; we make planning decisions and DARD make recommendations to do with flooding issues.