Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, how many homes have been granted planning permission for building on flood plains in each of the last five years.

The Department does not collect the requested information.

Development cannot be ruled out in high flood risk areas as around 10 per cent of England, including large parts of major cities, such as Hull, Portsmouth and central London are located in these areas, before taking account of the presence of flood defences. All local planning authorities are expected to follow the strict tests set out in national planning policy and guidance, which includes steering development away from high flood risk areas. Where development in flood risk areas is considered, national planning policy is clear that it should be safe, resilient and not increase flood risk elsewhere. We have been clear that new housing should not be permitted in functional floodplains, where water has to flow or be stored in times of flood.