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 built on flood plains in each of the last five years.

Estimates of the numbers of homes built on flood plains can be obtained by comparing the percentage of new residential addresses created that were in in National Flood Zone 3 with the new build completion statistics. These figures are available for 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16 from:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/573278/1516_Land_Use_Change_Statistics_Live_Tables.xlsx (Table P320); and

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/568411/LiveTable_120.xls (Table 120)

Figures for previous years exist only for 2011 and earlier years and are not on the same basis as those in Table P320.

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.