The Government produced is much discussed bill on planning policy yesterday the 27 March 2012.
Accompanying the formal document is the “Technical Guidance to the National Planning Policy Framework“. This is the ‘cheat sheet’ which directs all users on how to do things!!
It is very interesting to note that following paragraph one (1) the Introduction paragraph which basically says “here is the future planning policy”. Paragraph two (2) immediately starts by saying:
As set out in the National Planning Policy Framework, inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk, but where development is necessary, making it safe without increasing flood risk elsewhere.
Obviously the government cannot say “do not build on high risk flood zone” because most of the south east and a lot of other areas of this Island of ours is designated as a high risk flood zone. And some people actually wish to live there, rather that the wonderful hilly, undulating landscape with plenty of land not subject to flooding county of Cumbria.