The Welsh Government has delayed introducing new planning guidance linked to climate change induced flooding that could see development prevented across the country.
Having declared a climate change emergency, in September the Cardiff Bay administration published a new version of its technical advice note (TAN) 15 with a new flood map for planning, ahead of it coming into force from the beginning of next month.
Now Climate Change Minister Julie James has confirmed a suspension of the new TAN 15 and the flood map until June 1st, 2023. The move is designed to give local authorities time to put in place mitigate measures that could allow development within the flood map.
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If introduced from next month it could have impacted projects within the map such as the new indoor arena and associated commercial developments in Cardiff Bay, as well redevelopment plans in Swansea.
There has been lobbying from local authorities, developers and house builders who had raised concerns over the proposed new policy advice and map.
In a letter to all local authority chief executives and heads of planning Ms James said; “TAN 15 and the flood map for planning take us in the right direction, towards a more resilient society and economy.
"It is particularly important that we protect homes from flooding, when we know the devastating impact it can have on health and well-being. This government is committed to protecting more than 45,000 homes at risk of flooding this term, while planning policy and decisions will determine whether or not new homes are placed in areas at risk of flooding.
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“To enable local planning authorities to consider fully the impact of the climate change projections on their respective areas, I am suspending the coming into force of the new TAN 15 and flood map for planning until 1st June 2023.
"The existing TAN 15, published in 2004, and the development advice map will continue in the meantime as the framework for assessing flood risk.”
She said it is now imperative that local authorities use the delay to develop more understanding of the consequences of flooding.
She added: “I therefore require every local planning authority to complete work to review, within the next 12 months, the strategic flood consequences assessments (SFCAs) for their area, either individually or on a regional basis. I also require each local authority, working in partnership with other flood risk management authorities where appropriate to identify a pipeline of priority flood risk management schemes to address flood risk and vulnerability,
“This work must be informed by the flood map for planning and a full range of climate change projections to provide a finer grain assessment of the consequences of flooding, identify appropriate mitigations and to refine the flood map through the map challenge process.
I will be setting in place a mechanism by which progress on the review of SFCAs is monitored within the timeframe set out. There will be no further extension to the coming into force date for the TAN beyond June 2023 and, to be clear the new flood map for planning will form the basis of the TAN at that time.
“The outcome of this work should be that every local authority considers options and identifies its preferred ways to adapt to increased flood risks caused by climate change. In addition to the potential need for flood management schemes, local authorities may need to consider relocation of infrastructure, site specific resilience measures or new green infrastructure.”