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

To ask His Majesty's Government whether they plan to prevent houses from being built on functional flood plains and, in particular, on those sites located in flood zone 3b.

The National Planning Policy Framework clearly sets out that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided by directing development away from areas at highest risk, including floodplains. The approach to planning for flood risk is already clear that new housing and most other forms of development are not appropriate in a functional floodplain (Flood Zone 3b), where water has to flow or be stored in times of flood.