London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Feb 05, 2025

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
European Union Proposes Reforms to 1951 Refugee Convention
China's humanoid robots poised to transform everyday living and spiritual functions.
Changes in US tariffs on Chinese products could affect consumers more significantly than they do China.
How Innovations in China's Humanoid Robots Ignite Fierce Competition with the US
Germany Experiences 34% Decrease in Asylum Applications During Migration Discussion
Experts Challenge Conviction of UK Nurse Lucy Letby for Baby Killings
AfD Chief Alice Weidel Enhances Global Standing Through Meeting with Viktor Orban
Nigel Farage's Reform UK Party Leads Poll Amid Growing Public Demand for Change
Conor Murphy Steps Down as Northern Ireland Economy Minister to Join Irish Parliament
Over 1 Million Face Penalties After Missing HMRC Self-Assessment Tax Deadline
Scottish Government Denies Plans to Ban Cat Ownership Amid Controversy
Bridget Phillipson Urges Parents to Prioritize School Attendance Amid Rising Absence Rates
Keir Starmer Advocates for Stronger UK-EU Security Partnership in Brussels
Six English Councils Granted Permission to Raise Council Tax Bills Above Cap Amid Financial Struggles
Keir Starmer Faces Growing Backlash Over Potential Approval of Rosebank Oilfield
AI Consciousness Raises Ethical Concerns, Say Experts
Families Urge NHS England to Release Full Report on Nottingham Triple Homicide
NHS Initiates Largest AI Trial for Breast Cancer Detection
UK Tightens Regulations on Online Sales of Weight-Loss Injections
Gambling Ads Shown to Parents on Baby Monitor App, Raising Concerns
Ancient Irish Rainforests at Risk Due to the Growth of Monoculture Plantations
EU Leaders Deliberate on Defense Strategy Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
EU Leaders Convene Important Summit on Defense in Response to Rising Tensions
Trump Directs Establishment of U.S. Sovereign Wealth Fund, Considers TikTok Purchase
Britain Considers U.S. Gas Imports in Response to Possible Trump Tariffs
French Prime Minister Bayrou Confronts Several No-Confidence Votes Regarding the 2025 Budget
Shutdown of USAID Headquarters in Light of U.S. Government Reduction Initiatives
President Trump Launches Establishment of U.S. Sovereign Wealth Fund with Possible TikTok Purchase
Investigation Launched Following Viral Video of Bodybuilder's Airport Prank
Cooling Blankets: A Remedy for Those Who Sleep Hot or Just a Marketing Ploy?
Trump Wins Again as Canada Agrees to Strengthen Border Security
Trump Seeks Rare Minerals from Ukraine in Exchange for U.S. Support
EU Leaders Reach Consensus to Increase Defence Expenditure in Response to Growing Security Threats
UK Business Confidence Declines Amid Economic Uncertainty, Lloyds Survey Shows
Abhishek Sharma's Century Secures India a 4-1 T20 Series Win Over England
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will welcome German Chancellor Olaf Scholz for talks at Chequers.
Australian soccer sensation Sam Kerr confronts a racial abuse trial in London.
Lloyds and Barclays Bank Customers Experience Service Outages
Thames Water Seeks Court Approval for £3 Billion Rescue Plan Amid Crisis
UK Manufacturing Activity Contracts for Fourth Consecutive Month in January, PMI Shows
Ex-British Soldier Receives Sentence for Espionage on Behalf of Iran and Fleeing Custody
Emergency Crews Deployed on Santorini as Earthquake Swarm Raises Concerns
Wall Street Journal Criticizes Trump's Trade War with Canada and Mexico
Trump Freezes Tariffs on Mexico After Agreement on Border Security
Nearly 96% of New Cars Registered in Norway in January Were Electric
One Dead, Thousands Evacuated as Floods Hit North Queensland
Bart De Wever Appointed Belgium's New Prime Minister
Apple Abandons AR Glasses Project Amid Struggles with Technology and Market Demand
US Man Receives Photo Instead of Drill After Placing Order on Chinese Website
U.S. Clinical Trial Investigates Medication to Prolong Dogs' Lifespan
×