flooding

August 19, 2009 - Local communities across England will benefit from £16 million funding to help them tackle surface water flooding, Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has announced. The list of named areas receiving a total of £9.7 million funding can be found at www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/policy/surfacewaterdrainage.htm... more >

July 2, 2009 - The Sustainable Development Commission has unveiled a range of 'breakthrough' ideas which could transform the UK into a sustainable society. more >

February 9, 2009 - The number of new homes being built in flood-risk areas is increasing - despite a Government pledge to crack down on reckless developers. Local planners gave the go-ahead for at least 16 major developments in danger areas in 2007/2008 - putting hundreds of families at risk, according to the Mail on Sunday. more >

June 27, 2008 - Tougher control on development in high flood-risk areas is back firmly on the agenda following publication of Sir Michael Pitt's final report into last summer’s floods. Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn said: 'I welcome Sir Michael’s report and the direction it sets. I will deliver a detailed response on behalf of Government that includes a prioritised action plan in the autumn. more >

June 15, 2008 - Councils must get tough on protecting people in flood risk areas, Minister for Planning Caroline Flint has stated. New guidance gives councils five clear steps for maximising the planning rules to better manage flood risks in their area. more >

June 15, 2008 - Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) is being used to measure land topography and assess coastal erosion and geomorphology by the Environment Agency. Information is being set aside for managed retreat of sea defences. There is also a need to obtain data for a model linking land use, soil type and the potential for erosion prediction. more >

May 30, 2008 - The Pitt flooding review and Defra’s consultation on Improving surface water drainage highlighted the growing importance of integrated drainage management. more >

May 13, 2008 - There was a total lack of awareness about the vulnerability of large parts of the country to flooding until the heavy rainfall of last summer, according to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee.Parliament has now proposed that there should be a specific presumption in favour of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDs) for all new development and that the Planning Bill should be amended to g... more >

August 29, 2007 - In the wake of one of the wettest UK summer's since records began - a new network, LANDFORM (Local Authority Network for Drainage and Flood Risk Management) has been launched to deliver improved communication and knowledge-sharing about flood risk and surface water management.LANDFORM (managed by CIRIA and guided my a number of key stakeholders including the Environment Agency, Defra, DCLG and loc... more >