This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Stricter guidance on flooding
06/02/2004
Stricter guidance to avoid more development in areas at
risk from flooding was published today.
The new planning policy aims to prevent further
development on land which is at significant risk of
flooding from all sources, including watercourses, on the
coast and from sewers.
It allows planning authorities to refuse permission on
the grounds of flood risk and seeks a responsible attitude
from developers in considering proposals for new
development. It also recognises that predicted climate
change may affect the risk of flooding.
Minister for Communities Margaret Curran said:
"Flooding can damage property and ruin people's lives.
It can weaken communities and destroy businesses. Floods
also put heavy demands on the emergency services and
councils, and it can take months for buildings to be
repaired and lives put back together.
"The guidance is designed to stop more building taking
place in flood risk areas, including the flood plains. We
don't want to add to the problems we've inherited.
"We cannot be complacent. These are positive measures,
intended to prevent new buildings and their residents from
suffering the effects of flooding. They may mean that some
developments will not go ahead, or will be of a different
form.
"This means that difficult planning decisions will have
to be taken by local authorities. But when the planning
system safeguards people from flooding I regard it as
positive planning."
Scottish Planning Policy 7 (SPP7) expects developers and
planning authorities to err on the side of caution in
decision making whenever flood risk is an issue.
It seeks a long term perspective through local authority
development plans so that land with a significant risk of
flooding is identified early. This will allow sufficient
suitable land for development, particularly for housing, to
be allocated and the environmental issues to be properly
addressed.
It further identifies that new development with a 0.5%
(1:200) probability or greater of being flooded in any year
should be considered as medium to high risk for planning
purposes. This includes an allowance for climate
change.
SPP7 replaces NPPG7 Planning & Flooding, which was
issued in 1995. A consultative draft was issued in March
2003. It has been developed with the help of an advisory
group which included planning authorities, Homes for
Scotland, the Royal Town Planning Institute, CoSLA,
Scottish Water, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, the
Association of British Insurers, Glasgow and Clyde Valley
Structure Plan Team, the Scottish Construction Industry
Group and the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation
in Scotland.
SPP7 implements the Partnership Agreement commitment to
'support planning controls on building on flood plains' and
is a key element of the Executive's Flooding Framework.
The planning system can prevent new development which is
at significant risk of flooding. It has no direct role in
relation to existing property at risk other than to ensure
that planning decisions do not exacerbate the problem.