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| Flood plain homes 'not ruled out' | Flood plain homes 'not ruled out' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The government will continue to build houses on flood plains, as long as the "proper defences" are in place, says Housing Minister Yvette Cooper. | The government will continue to build houses on flood plains, as long as the "proper defences" are in place, says Housing Minister Yvette Cooper. |
| The Tories say it will put more homes at risk, following extensive flooding in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. | The Tories say it will put more homes at risk, following extensive flooding in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. |
| A draft of the Housing Green Paper, due to be published in full later, says it is "not realistic" to prevent all future development in flood-risk areas. | A draft of the Housing Green Paper, due to be published in full later, says it is "not realistic" to prevent all future development in flood-risk areas. |
| Ms Cooper said house building critics were "playing politics" with floods. | Ms Cooper said house building critics were "playing politics" with floods. |
| She told the BBC: "We've introduced very tough rules now to clamp down on house-building in very high flood risk areas." | She told the BBC: "We've introduced very tough rules now to clamp down on house-building in very high flood risk areas." |
| "Those are tougher than they've ever been." | "Those are tougher than they've ever been." |
| 'Proper protection' | 'Proper protection' |
| But she told the BBC that homes could still be built on flood plains: "I think the only thing we are saying is obviously you can't rule out new housing being built somewhere like the city of York which is in a flood plain. | But she told the BBC that homes could still be built on flood plains: "I think the only thing we are saying is obviously you can't rule out new housing being built somewhere like the city of York which is in a flood plain. |
| "You know, it was built by the Romans in a flood plain. Downing Street - 10 Downing Street is in a flood plain. So if you've proper protection and if you've got proper defences in place, you know new homes have to be safe." | "You know, it was built by the Romans in a flood plain. Downing Street - 10 Downing Street is in a flood plain. So if you've proper protection and if you've got proper defences in place, you know new homes have to be safe." |
| This rush to build without thought is something that we will all regret Eric PicklesShadow communities secretary class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=6933&edition=2&ttl=20070723105801">Send us your comments | |
| Ms Cooper has said the Environment Agency can stop new homes being built if they judged the flood risk to be too high and not acceptable. | Ms Cooper has said the Environment Agency can stop new homes being built if they judged the flood risk to be too high and not acceptable. |
| But shadow communities and local government secretary Eric Pickles said: "Gordon Brown has to accept the inconvenient truth that if you build houses on flood plains it increases the likelihood that people will be flooded. | But shadow communities and local government secretary Eric Pickles said: "Gordon Brown has to accept the inconvenient truth that if you build houses on flood plains it increases the likelihood that people will be flooded. |
| "This rush to build without thought is something that we will all regret." | "This rush to build without thought is something that we will all regret." |
| Robust policy | Robust policy |
| A draft of the green paper, leaked to the BBC, says that 10% of England's population lives in areas at risk of flooding and warns inappropriate development could "exacerbate flood risks". | A draft of the green paper, leaked to the BBC, says that 10% of England's population lives in areas at risk of flooding and warns inappropriate development could "exacerbate flood risks". |
| But it goes on: "While physical defences remain the central defence for managing flood risk, flood defence infrastructure cannot be continuously expanded." | But it goes on: "While physical defences remain the central defence for managing flood risk, flood defence infrastructure cannot be continuously expanded." |
| Parts of Worcestershire were badly hit by flooding | Parts of Worcestershire were badly hit by flooding |
| It says councils must put in place "robust planning policy" that takes into account a possible increase in rainfall in the future due to climate change. | It says councils must put in place "robust planning policy" that takes into account a possible increase in rainfall in the future due to climate change. |
| The Conservative MP for Tewkesbury, Lawrence Robertson, said plans to build extra houses north of Gloucester and Cheltenham were "absolute madness". | The Conservative MP for Tewkesbury, Lawrence Robertson, said plans to build extra houses north of Gloucester and Cheltenham were "absolute madness". |
| He said: "If we go ahead with that at some stage in the future people will lose their lives... if we go ahead with that kind of building." | He said: "If we go ahead with that at some stage in the future people will lose their lives... if we go ahead with that kind of building." |
| 'Badly flooded' | 'Badly flooded' |
| Martin Horwood, Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham, said any building plans for the future should be reviewed. | Martin Horwood, Liberal Democrat MP for Cheltenham, said any building plans for the future should be reviewed. |
| "I've seen houses that have been very badly flooded in Cheltenham which were basically built on the course of brooks. Those looked harmless enough when there weren't floods around," he said. | "I've seen houses that have been very badly flooded in Cheltenham which were basically built on the course of brooks. Those looked harmless enough when there weren't floods around," he said. |
| Last week there were no preparations put in place despite early severe weather warnings Sir Menzies CampbellLib Dem leader | Last week there were no preparations put in place despite early severe weather warnings Sir Menzies CampbellLib Dem leader |
| Prime Minister Gordon Brown, visiting Gloucester on Monday morning, said he wanted to give "support and sympathy" to those people who have been affected and praised the emergency response teams. | Prime Minister Gordon Brown, visiting Gloucester on Monday morning, said he wanted to give "support and sympathy" to those people who have been affected and praised the emergency response teams. |
| He said there would be additional money for local authorities and "crisis care grants" for those who have been displaced and more money invested in flood and coastal defences. | He said there would be additional money for local authorities and "crisis care grants" for those who have been displaced and more money invested in flood and coastal defences. |
| But Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell, who is on a visit to Hull - where about 17,000 homes were damaged by flooding in June - said the a lack of planning by the government had led to a "summer of suffering". | But Lib Dem leader Sir Menzies Campbell, who is on a visit to Hull - where about 17,000 homes were damaged by flooding in June - said the a lack of planning by the government had led to a "summer of suffering". |
| Extreme weather | Extreme weather |
| He said, "There is no doubt that climate change is going to lead to more extreme weather in this country and the government has a duty to prepare for this and put in place plans to minimise the devastation. | He said, "There is no doubt that climate change is going to lead to more extreme weather in this country and the government has a duty to prepare for this and put in place plans to minimise the devastation. |
| "Yet last week there were no preparations put in place despite early severe weather warnings." | "Yet last week there were no preparations put in place despite early severe weather warnings." |
| Meanwhile Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, who is due to make a Commons statement later, denied that cuts to the Environment Agency's budget were to blame for the effect of the flooding. | Meanwhile Environment Secretary Hilary Benn, who is due to make a Commons statement later, denied that cuts to the Environment Agency's budget were to blame for the effect of the flooding. |
| Even the best flood defences can be overwhelmed Hilary BennEnvironment secretary | Even the best flood defences can be overwhelmed Hilary BennEnvironment secretary |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the agency's capital budget for investment in flood defence had increased from £300m to £600m since 1997 and would rise to £800m by 2010/11. | He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme the agency's capital budget for investment in flood defence had increased from £300m to £600m since 1997 and would rise to £800m by 2010/11. |
| "The government recognises the need to invest more in flood defence," Mr Benn told the BBC. | "The government recognises the need to invest more in flood defence," Mr Benn told the BBC. |
| "But you need to recognise, with the scale of water we have seen coming out of the sky, running down the river systems, even the best flood defences can be overwhelmed." | "But you need to recognise, with the scale of water we have seen coming out of the sky, running down the river systems, even the best flood defences can be overwhelmed." |
| Mr Brown has said he wants to build three million new homes by 2020 and pledged to ensure that 70,000 constructed each year are affordable. | Mr Brown has said he wants to build three million new homes by 2020 and pledged to ensure that 70,000 constructed each year are affordable. |
| The Green Paper will be formally published later. | The Green Paper will be formally published later. |