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Moves to end flood prevention plans delay Government in 'turmoil' over flood precautions
(about 9 hours later)
A four-year delay to rules meant to prevent new housing developments making floods worse could finally be ended. The government is in "turmoil" over the implementation of rules to prevent housing developments making floods worse, building industry sources say.
Policy has been paralysed, with builders rejecting demands that they should install ponds and grassy hollows to catch water running off roofs. The question of how drainage features should be maintained has lasted four years and the policy remains postponed, even though a deal has been reached.
There is still deadlock on this but it is understood that a deal has been reached over who pays to maintain any new anti-flood landscape features. One industry source told BBC News civil service cuts had left ministers "incapable" of implementing the policy.
Councils will be able to bill owners of new homes for maintenance. Ministers said reducing the impact of flooding was a key priority.
The councils argue this is fair as owners of existing homes have to pay to have their run-off water treated by water firms through the sewerage system. Indefinitely postponed
The Flood Act of 2010 obliges builders to landscape developments so water from roofs and driveways seeps into open ground, rather than rushing into the water system. A deal has been struck between the government, councils and builders which will make councils responsible for maintaining drainage features such as ponds and grassy areas located to catch water running off roofs.
But detailed policy has been paralysed, with £500m worth of spending cuts at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) causing regular reshuffles of staff, and the key players unable to agree on how the schemes should be built. Under the agreement, councils would be able to bill owners of new homes for maintenance.
Rival solutions The councils argue this is fair as owners of existing homes have to have their run-off water treated by water firms through the sewerage system.
Technical experts say the green drainage measures should generally be cheaper than running the water into the sewers, but housebuilders want flexibility. But despite the deal, the government has indefinitely postponed plans to introduce the new measures from April to allow time for further talks on details.
A Home Builders Federation spokesman said: "After all the work we have done with the government, we are disappointed about the delay to set up the processes for the adoption of the [drainage systems].
"House builders are seeking certainty over the systems they will be required to install and the processes for having them approved."
All political parties describe the discussions as "extremely sensitive", while some participants have privately described their extreme frustration that it is taking so long.
One industry spokesman, who wanted to remain anonymous, told the BBC: "The turmoil in the government is totally unbelievable. The cuts at the department are clearly a factor. This policy goes round and round - it needs to be sorted out so we can know what sort of developments to plan."
The Flood Act of 2010 obliges builders to landscape developments so that water from roofs and driveways seeps into open ground, rather than rushing into the water system.
But detailed policy on how the features will be cared for has been paralysed, with £500m worth of spending cuts at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) causing regular reshuffles of staff, and leaving key players unable to agree on how the schemes should be built.
Technical experts say the green drainage measures should generally be cheaper than running the water into the sewers, but house builders want flexibility.
They say if they have to create ponds on all new developments it may put up the cost of housing.They say if they have to create ponds on all new developments it may put up the cost of housing.
John Stewart, from the Home Builders Federation, told BBC News: "If you are forced to put in a large pond, that means you can't build homes on that, so there is a cost involved."John Stewart, from the Home Builders Federation, told BBC News: "If you are forced to put in a large pond, that means you can't build homes on that, so there is a cost involved."
The builders want to be able to catch run-off water in giant underground tanks. Builders want to be able to catch run-off water in giant underground tanks.
Technical experts say this is a poor solution compared with surface features. Technical experts say this is a poor solution compared with surface features, adding that green drainage measures are typically cheaper than carrying water away in a pipe.
Paul Shaffer from Susdrain - the community for sustainable drainage, based at the construction research institute CIRIA - said: "There are much greater benefits if you capture water on the surface.Paul Shaffer from Susdrain - the community for sustainable drainage, based at the construction research institute CIRIA - said: "There are much greater benefits if you capture water on the surface.
"It's a simpler solution that's easier to maintain; you get pollutants broken down free of charge by vegetation, you get amenity value that improves people's quality of lives, you help to improve biodiversity, you also get the benefit that in heatwaves the open areas of water help to cool down the surrounding land. "It's a simpler solution that's easier to maintain; you get pollutants broken down free of charge by vegetation, you get amenity value that improves people's quality of lives, you help to improve biodiversity, you also get the benefit that in heatwaves the open areas of water help to cool down the surrounding land."
"It helps with flood prevention but it also gives so much more to society than just holding the water in a tank." Sustainable drainage features
One scheme I visited in Sheffield takes the run-off water from a housing estate, breaks up the flow through a pile of rocks and allows the water to soak away. A nearby pond designed to hold run-off water hosts ducks, a heron and dragonflies, which local people appreciate.One scheme I visited in Sheffield takes the run-off water from a housing estate, breaks up the flow through a pile of rocks and allows the water to soak away. A nearby pond designed to hold run-off water hosts ducks, a heron and dragonflies, which local people appreciate.
The government and councils have been advised by technical experts that green drainage measures will typically be cheaper than carrying the water away in a pipe. The row over technical standards and who pays for maintenance has delayed the rules' publication several times, and MPs on the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee have urged ministers to find a solution.
'Extremely sensitive' Defra planned to introduce the rules in April, but this week acknowledged the delayed deadline would be put back further.
The row over technical standards and who pays for maintenance has delayed the publication of the rules several times, and last summer MPs on the Efra committee urged the government to find a solution immediately. 'Lobbying furiously'
Defra planned to bring in the rules in April, but this week admitted that even this delayed deadline would be put back further. Observers have also expressed dismay that the disputes are rumbling on.
All parties describe discussions as "extremely sensitive". Some participants have privately described their extreme frustration that it's taking so long. Observers are dismayed that the disputes are rumbling on. Richard Ashley, Sheffield University's professor of urban water, said: "It is ridiculous. The government is ideologically in favour of deregulation but it's supposed to be introducing this complicated piece of legislation with a demoralised department with civil servants that keep changing.
"It is ridiculous," said Richard Ashley, professor of urban water at Sheffield University. "The housebuilders are lobbying furiously behind the scenes."
"The government is ideologically in favour of deregulation but it's supposed to be introducing this complicated piece of legislation with a demoralised department with civil servants that keep changing. He continued: "We have alternating periods of droughts and flooding in England and these systems are best at dealing with both - so there really shouldn't be a problem in sorting it out."
"The housebuilders are lobbying furiously behind the scenes. Meanwhile, Local Government Association spokesman Mike Jones told BBC News: "The developers should be able to pay for the works that are needed. They are making very healthy profits."
"We have alternating periods of droughts and flooding in England and these systems are best at dealing with both - so there really shouldn't be a problem in sorting it out." He added it was "appropriate" that people pay for their drainage.
Local Government Association spokesman Mike Jones told BBC News: "The developers should be able to pay for the works that are needed. They are making very healthy profits." A Defra spokesman said: "Reducing the impacts of flooding on houses and businesses is a key priority for us and we are committed to introducing sustainable drainage systems (suds) to help reduce the risk of floods from new developments.
He added that it was "appropriate" that people should pay for their drainage.
Prof Ashley warned: "Let's keep this in perspective. New developments are a small fraction of all buildings.
"The problem of floods has already been made worse by decades of misguided drainage rules allowing people to think that getting rid of water into rivers was solving the problem. It is the existing buildings and car parks that are the real challenge."
A Defra spokesperson said: "Reducing the impacts of flooding on houses and businesses is a key priority for us and we are committed to introducing sustainable drainage systems (Suds) to help reduce the risk of floods from new developments.
"Suds are usually cheaper to maintain than conventional drainage, and we will be consulting soon on how they will be maintained by local authorities.""Suds are usually cheaper to maintain than conventional drainage, and we will be consulting soon on how they will be maintained by local authorities."
He denied job losses had contributed to policy delays.
Maria Eagle MP, Labour's shadow environment secretary, said: "It's ridiculous that ministers have allowed this to drag on for so long. Yet it is hardly surprising when [Environment Secretary] Owen Paterson has removed flood protection from his department's list of priorities and refuses to endorse the prime minister's view that climate change is contributing to an increase in extreme weather."
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