What can be done to ensure that local authorities can adequately take flooding into consideration when they make decisions on planning until the updated technical advice notice 15 is in place?
I wrote to local authorities on 23rd November making it clear that the consideration of flooding risk is an essential requirement of the planning system. My decision to pause the coming into effect date of the revised TAN is accompanied by a requirement for local authorities to review their Strategic Flood Consequences Assessments in order to provide finer grain risk assessments of local areas. It is essential that this work takes place as a matter of urgency and I will be monitoring progress. In the meantime the Chief Planner will be writing to local authorities to advise them that the new Flood Maps for Planning, which include climate change allowances, must be used for all aspects of plan making whilst the existing Development Advise Maps will continue for the basis for Development Management decisions on individual planning applications.