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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Garden homes 'raise flood risk' | Garden homes 'raise flood risk' |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The increase in new homes being built on gardens poses a "significant" flood risk, the independent reviewer into the July floods has warned. | The increase in new homes being built on gardens poses a "significant" flood risk, the independent reviewer into the July floods has warned. |
| Sir Michael Pitt said that flooding experts had repeatedly raised the issue and it needed to be addressed. | Sir Michael Pitt said that flooding experts had repeatedly raised the issue and it needed to be addressed. |
| Official figures show the number of new houses built on residential land, including gardens, has more than doubled over the last decade. | Official figures show the number of new houses built on residential land, including gardens, has more than doubled over the last decade. |
| The government says there are new rules to protect new homes from flooding. | The government says there are new rules to protect new homes from flooding. |
| 'Cumulative effect' | 'Cumulative effect' |
| Sir Michael Pitt, chairman of the independent inquiry, told BBC 5 Live the surge in garden developments - known as garden-grabbing - increased the risk of further flooding. | Sir Michael Pitt, chairman of the independent inquiry, told BBC 5 Live the surge in garden developments - known as garden-grabbing - increased the risk of further flooding. |
| Flooding experts told the independent inquiry that building on gardens is increasing and is a major problem Simon Cox, BBC Five Live 'Not in my garden' | Flooding experts told the independent inquiry that building on gardens is increasing and is a major problem Simon Cox, BBC Five Live 'Not in my garden' |
| "If it was just one house and one garden, this would not be an issue. It's the cumulative effect over time of many, many properties," he said. | "If it was just one house and one garden, this would not be an issue. It's the cumulative effect over time of many, many properties," he said. |
| With building land at a premium, property developers have increasingly been targeting people's gardens. | With building land at a premium, property developers have increasingly been targeting people's gardens. |
| The BBC's Simon Cox said: "Flooding experts told the independent inquiry that building on gardens is increasing and is a major problem." | The BBC's Simon Cox said: "Flooding experts told the independent inquiry that building on gardens is increasing and is a major problem." |
| A spokesperson for the Department for Communities and Local Government insisted there were tough new rules in place to safeguard new homes from flooding, and said that councils must consult the Environment Agency on their housing plans. | |
| "Councils have now been given the power to specifically protect and to separate gardens out from their wider Brownfield development targets," the spokesperson added. | |
| The Conservatives committed themselves to ending garden-grabbing at last year's conference. | The Conservatives committed themselves to ending garden-grabbing at last year's conference. |
| A Tory-led government first changed the planning rules to make it easier to build on gardens by re-designating them as brownfield instead of greenfield sites. | A Tory-led government first changed the planning rules to make it easier to build on gardens by re-designating them as brownfield instead of greenfield sites. |
| However, the real growth occurred after John Prescott set targets for councils to prioritise building on brownfield sites, including gardens. | However, the real growth occurred after John Prescott set targets for councils to prioritise building on brownfield sites, including gardens. |
| Infrastructure loss | Infrastructure loss |
| Last summer's floods damaged thousands of homes in England. Yorkshire and Gloucestershire, where 140,000 homes were left without water, were among the areas worst hit. | Last summer's floods damaged thousands of homes in England. Yorkshire and Gloucestershire, where 140,000 homes were left without water, were among the areas worst hit. |
| Earlier this month, Sir Michael said planning for flooding should have the same priority as terrorism or flu prevention. | Earlier this month, Sir Michael said planning for flooding should have the same priority as terrorism or flu prevention. |
| The interim report said the floods in June and July led to the biggest loss of critical infrastructure since World War II. | The interim report said the floods in June and July led to the biggest loss of critical infrastructure since World War II. |
| It urged local government and emergency services to improve their knowledge and practices. | It urged local government and emergency services to improve their knowledge and practices. |
| Sir Michael also said the public should have been better prepared. | Sir Michael also said the public should have been better prepared. |
| The final report is due for publication next summer. | The final report is due for publication next summer. |