Thousands Of Homes To Be Built In Flood Zones

Almost 10,000 new homes could be built on some of the most flood-prone areas of England, a Greenpeace investigation has found. They include hundreds of new-builds in Sheffield and Doncaster, the towns hit hardest by the latest floods. The Environment Agency told the BBC that virtually all planning applications last year followed its advice on flood risk. But it predicts the flooding risk will increase because of climate change. The Greenpeace study comes as hundreds of flood-hit homes in South Yorkshire and Derbyshire are still evacuated. It identifies plans to build a total of 9,688 new homes in high-risk areas. Read more on the BBC website.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-50419925

Government Planning To Build Thousands Of New Homes In Flood Risk Areas

Nearly half the areas earmarked for fast-tracked housing development by a flagship government scheme are at significant risk of flooding, making thousands of new homes potentially uninsurable, according to a Greenpeace investigation.  The sites targeted by a recent house-building drive unveiled by Chancellor George Osborne include two areas threatened by the latest floods and others which were inundated during previous emergencies.  The findings will raise more questions about the government’s approach to flood risk management amidst growing controversy over delays in the construction of flood defences for existing homes in areas hit by flooding in Cumbria and Lancashire. Read more on the Specification Online website.