Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether her Department plans to take steps to require developers to complete flood defences committed to at planning stage in areas at risk of flooding within a mandated time period.

National planning policy is clear that where development is necessary in areas at risk of flooding, the development should be made safe for its lifetime without increasing flood risk elsewhere.

Local planning authorities should consider the use of conditions or planning obligations to make development acceptable, which may include flood mitigation works, and have powers to take enforcement action against any breach of planning requirements.

Enforcement is at the discretion of local planning authorities. It is for them to decide when and how they use their powers depending on the particular circumstances of each case.