Housing: Construction

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities written question – answered at on 9 March 2022.

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Photo of Rachael Maskell Rachael Maskell Labour/Co-operative, York Central

To ask the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, if he will make it his policy to introduce legal responsibility for housing developers to ensure that all newly built homes are adequately protected from flooding.

Photo of Stuart Andrew Stuart Andrew Assistant Whip, Minister of State (Minister for Housing)

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is clear that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided. Where development is necessary, it should be made safe and resilient - and without increasing flood risk elsewhere. Policies in the NPPF must be taken into account in preparing the local authority's development plan, and are a material consideration in planning decisions.

In addition, statutory guidance to the Building Regulations in Approved Document C already promotes the use of flood resilient and resistant construction in flood prone areas.

The Building Regulations also set requirements for the rainwater and surface water drainage of individual buildings under Part H of the Regulations. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the sewerage undertaker for an area, for example Yorkshire Water, to ensure drainage systems for new developments are built to a resilient standard which minimises flooding.

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