New flood advice could prevent damage to small businesses

The Environment Agency has published new guidance to help councils minimise the risk of flood damage to homes and businesses.

It is now compulsory for councils to consult with the Environment Agency when planning to develop areas that are at risk from flooding.

The government has already intervened in 24 cases where councils have ignored their advice.

The Environment Agency has now set out five steps for councils to follow when considering planning applications.

The guidance states that local authorities should identify the flood risks of a potential development site, prioritise non flood-prone sites and assess whether the need for a new development outweighs the flood risk.

The steps also advise that flooding should be controlled using sustainable drainage and good design, and that all new buildings built in flood prone areas should be resilient and safe.

"The summer 2007 floods highlighted the severe impact that flooding can have on people and communities," said the Agency's head of planning, Mark Southgate.

"We welcome the government's policy on planning and flood risk that seeks to steer new development away from high flood risk areas."

In further flood prevention measures, Communities and Local Government is currently making changes to planning laws that mean business-owners will no longer be able to lay impermeable surfaces.