On March 6, 2003 then Environment Minister Ross Finnie announced details of the National Flooding Framework in response to a Scottish Parliamentary Question. He said:
"Recognising the misery and distress that flooding can cause and having resolved to improve current arrangements to address flooding concerns, ministers have agreed to implement the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Committee on Flooding Issues in full. These decisions build on our existing strategic framework for addressing flooding based on awareness, avoidance and alleviation.
"We will improve awareness of the risks of flooding through the provision of better flood risk information and additional flood warning systems.
"We will publish revised national planning policy to strengthen the ability of planning authorities to prevent unsuitable further development where there is significant flood risk.
"In addition to investing £40 million over the next three years to reduce flood risk for 1,850 properties, we will reduce the risk of sewer flooding by continuing to encourage the use of sustainable urban drainage systems and working with Scottish Water to ensure that such systems are properly maintained.
"We will manage flood risk better by improving national guidance and administrative procedures for promoting new flood alleviation schemes.
"We will ensure joint working between local authorities, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Water to improve flood risk management and will establish a national technical advisory group.
"We are helping those who might be affected by flooding by encouraging the take up of insurance by householders, in particular those in the social rented sector. We will ensure better support to those affected by flooding.
"Implementation of these measures will strengthen the existing arrangements to address flooding and thereby reduce the risks and the impacts of flooding on those individuals and communities in vulnerable areas."
Targets for Meeting the Framework's Action Points
We will improve awareness of the risks of flooding through the provision of better flood risk information and additional flood warning systems.
- Work with SEPA to produce second generation indicative river flood risk maps - for completion by September 2004
- Make access to these maps available to public through Internet
- Work with SEPA to identify coastal flooding risk (by September 2004)
- Establish a national archive of flood risk information and a national flood defence database by December 2004
- Consider with Scottish Water the extent of sewer flood risk
- Consider with SEPA the provision of additional flood warning schemes
- Consider with the Met Office improving weather radar coverage in East of Scotland
Objectives:
- To ensure authorities and the public are better informed of flood risk
- To ensure public has better access to information
- To ensure public can be better prepared to safeguard themselves and their property from the impacts of flooding
We shall publish revised national planning policy intended to strengthen the ability of planning authorities to prevent unsuitable further development where there is significant flood risk.
- Consultation draft of updated planning policy to be published later this month as Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) 7: Planning and Flooding
- Existing policy is in National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 7 (published 1995)
- NPPG 7 states that planning authorities should, first, seek to avoid increasing the flood risk by refusing permission where appropriate and, second, seek to manage the threat of flooding only in cases where other reasons for granting permission take precedence over flood risk
- The principles of existing policy are considered to be sound, but SPP7 reflects increasing knowledge since NPPG 7 was published. Key features of the SPP include:
- Providing a clearer basis for decision-making by giving a risk framework
- Raising the profile of drainage as a flooding issue
- Encouraging flood resistant materials and construction of buildings
- A Planning Advice Note will be produced on how the planning and building standards systems can best work together in the context.
£40 million over the next three years to reduce flood risk for 1850 properties.
- We will fund flood alleviation schemes proposed by local authorities meeting national standards
- The funding of the £9.3 million Riccarton, Crookedholm and Galston scheme in Kilmarnock demonstrates we are delivering this commitment
We will seek to reduce the risk of sewer flooding by continuing to encourage the use of sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS).
- Planning Advice Note 61: Planning and Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems was published in 2001.
- Despite the name SuDS is relevant to all built development, urban or rural
- SuDS allow the flow of surface water run-off to be managed and reduces the loading on conventional piped drainage systems. This helps to control the risk of off-site flooding
- New planning policy on other subjects cross refers as appropriate, e.g. Scottish Planning Policy 3: Planning for Housing (published 28 February) draws attention to PAN 61 and sustainable drainage systems in relation to housing developments
- The draft revised SPP7 will raise the profile of drainage as a flooding issue
Work with Scottish Water to ensure that such systems are properly maintained.
- Ministers will specify construction standards for SuDS in Regulations, and SuDS meeting these standards will vest in Scottish Water
We will manage flood risk better by improving national guidance and administrative procedures for promoting new flood alleviation schemes.
We will:
- Complete review of statutory processes for schemes by October 2003
- Provide improved national guidance for flood alleviation schemes by September 2004
We will ensure joint working between local authorities, SEPA and Scottish Water to improve flood risk management and will establish a national technical advisory group.
- Establish a National Technical Advisory Group by November 2003 with remit to provide technical advice to local authorities and other parties on flood risk
- Ensure authorities' awareness of new duty to consider flood management in river basin management plans by September 2004
- Consult councils on improving the work and role of Flood Appraisal Groups by end of 2003
- Respond to CoSLA Flooding Task Group within two months of CoSLA publishing its report
We are helping those who might be affected by flooding by encouraging the take up of insurance by householders, in particular, by those in the social rented sector. We will ensure better support to those affected by flooding.
- The Minister for Social Justice has written to landlords, jointly with the COSLA of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations, to encourage landlords to develop and promote insurance schemes for tenants
- Letter signed by Alistair Gray, COSLA housing spokesperson and Anne Lear, chair of SFHA
- Later this month the Minister for Social Justice will launch ABI guidelines on insurance with rent schemes and announce funding to landlords for the promotion of insurance schemes