London Daily

Focus on the big picture.

Climate change: Ministers lack urgency on flood risks, critics say

Climate change: Ministers lack urgency on flood risks, critics say

Welsh ministers have been accused of lacking urgency on flood risks due to climate change, after postponing planning rule changes twice.

The policy, based on the latest advice, was due to come into force next month, but the minister said that was no longer "achievable".

Opposition parties and environmental campaigners have expressed concern at the delay.

The Welsh government said it was important to "get it right".

Ministers want to update the planning rules, known as TAN 15, to reflect the risk of flooding and ensure future development considers the potential impact of climate change.

The new policy will require developers and councils to consult maps produced by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) that show projected as well as current risk levels.

The government had intended to introduce the new rules on 1 December 2021, but a week beforehand they were postponed after councils raised concerns.

The village of Crickhowell was cut off after the river Usk bursts its banks during Storm Dennis


At the time, Minister for Climate Change Julie James said the delay was to "enable local planning authorities to consider fully the impact of climate change projections," and that the rules would come into force on 1 June 2023.

"There would be no further extension," she warned.

However last week, Ms James wrote to Senedd members (MSs) saying that date would "no longer be achievable," and it that it was "unlikely" the changes would happen "before the end of this year".

She said this was because the government was still considering responses to a new consultation carried out on revised proposals.

Speaking to the BBC's Politics Wales programme, the Welsh Conservatives' climate change spokeswoman Janet Finch-Saunders described the delay as "unacceptable".

Plaid Cymru MS Heledd Fychan said the postponement was "not helping those living at the continued risk of flooding".

"The planning system needs to be reformed, needs to be changed, this is a long time coming and should already be in place," she added.

Environmental campaigners have also expressed concern at the delay, with the chief scientist at Greenpeace UK Doug Parr telling the programme: "Every year, every month that we're installing things that need to be changed later is cost and difficulty.

"We know the misery that flooding can inflict upon people so we really urge the Welsh government to get this out as quickly as possible.

"Of course it's important that it's right, but there is no time for delay."

Responding to the comments, the minister for climate change told the programme the revised rules were designed to "make sure that climate adaptation is properly done in our local authorities, that the serious flood containment assessment plans are in place, and that we have the right development for our towns and city centres so that it's resilient into the 21st Century".

"That's not something you can do overnight and it's important we get it right," she said.

In the meantime councils have welcomed changes made to the wording of the proposed new rules since they were first due to be implemented.

Swansea Council leader, and Welsh Local Government Association spokesman, Rob Stewart, said the changes as they were initially put forward would have prevented the redevelopment of large swathes of Wales' major towns and cities.

However, the revised wording of the policy is "much, much better", and supports "sustainable development," he added.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Prince William to End Feudal Land Restrictions in Duchy of Cornwall, but Controversies Remain
British police appear unprepared to deal with usual suspects
Russia's Ballistic Blitz on Kyiv Sends Shockwaves Through Global Stability
Multiple Tragedies and Tensions Mark Global Events: A Closer Look
Elon Musk's AfD Endorsement Ignites Controversy from neo-Nazis who accuse the AfD of being what they themselves are
Ukraine Claims Unprecedented Russian Losses: The Truth Behind Wartime Statistics
Federal Reserve Chair Powell: "We are prohibited from owning Bitcoin and are not seeking any changes to that law."
A Democratic congresswoman with blue and black hair is having a meltdown over "President Musk."
A sizable group of unauthorized migrants is traveling through Mexico with the aim of reaching the USA before Trump assumes office.
Beatles Reunion Electrifies London: Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr Ignite O2 Arena with Surprise Performance
Starmer's Envoy Engages Trump Team as UK Seeks Strategic U.S. Partnership
Britain's Retail Rebound Falters as Black Friday Splurge Dissipates
Bank of Japan's Bold Reckoning: A Decade of Unconventional Policy Under Scrutiny
Republican Discord Threatens Government Shutdown Amid Holiday Season
French Retiree Dominique Pellico Convicted for Recruiting 72 Men to Assault Wife Over a Decade
Putin Defends War Strategy as Global Tensions Rise
Putin Claims Progress as Tensions Rise: Conflict in Ukraine Intensifies
Putin's Paradox: Claiming Strength Amidst Sanctions and Isolation
Water as a Weapon: The Contentious Struggle for Survival in Gaza
Syria's Future: A Fight for Democracy or Another Cycle of Oppression?
UK Considers Sending Troops to Ukraine: A Strategic Move or Intensifying The Proxy War?
Renewed ISIS Threat Puts Syria’s Cultural Heritage in Peril
Escalation in Moscow: High-Profile Assassination and International Tensions Intensify
North Korean Troops in Ukraine: A New Cold War Frontier?
Ukraine's Bold Move: High-Stakes Assassination of Russian General in Moscow
Dubai's Technological Leap: Brain Chips and AI Board Members by 2025
Tragedy Strikes Wisconsin School as Shooting Claims Lives of Teacher and Student
UK's Calculated Gamble: Balancing Defense Aid to Ukraine and Domestic Demands
UK Intensifies Stranglehold on Russian Oil, but Does It Dampen Putin’s Resolve?
British Voter Endorsement of Reeves's Bold Tax Strategy
Nicola Sturgeon Warns of 'Toxic' Discourse: The Perils of Polarisation in Modern Politics
Levelling Down: How the Conservatives Underspent on Regional Revitalization
Alleged Chinese Espionage: The Entangled Web Beyond Prince Andrew
Starmer Navigates Diplomatic Tightrope Amid Chinese Espionage Revelations Involving Prince Andrew
Balancing Democracy and Disorder: The Trial of a Milkshake Incident
Royal Mail Enters New Chapter Under Czech Ownership
UK Companies Slash Jobs Amid Economic Strain
Kemi Badenoch Rekindles Flat Tax Debate Amid Inheritance Tax Uproar
Rewiring Whitehall: New Cabinet Secretary's Mandate for Change
Legal Battle Revives: Lucy Letby Seeks Fresh Appeal as Expert Evidence Faces Scrutiny
Accusations Fly as UK-China Relations Spark Tension Within British Politics
The Delicate Dance of Devolution: As English Council Elections Face Delays
The Alleged Chinese Spy at the Heart of British Royal Circles: Yang Tengbo Unmasked
Prince Andrew Withdraws from Royal Christmas Amidst Chinese Espionage Scandal
EU Takes Legal Action Against UK Over Allegedly Neglected Rights of EU Citizens
Disaster Strikes: Oil Spill in the Black Sea and Cyclone Devastation in Mayotte
Oil Tanker Disaster in the Kerch Strait: A Confluence of Environmental Catastrophe and Geopolitical Tensions
Olaf Scholz’s Gamble: The Collapse of Germany’s Coalition Government and the Path to Early Elections
Keir Starmer's 'Sycophantic' Tone: Tensions Rise Over UK-China Relations
Trump Recognizes Partial Advances in Ceasefire Attempts in Ukraine Conflict
×