Environmental Audit Committee: Is the Government’s £2.65 billion investment in flood defences being prioritised to the right projects?

In a session focusing on infrastructure resilience, planning rules and the risk to farmers from floods, the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) will continue gathering evidence as part of its Flood resilience in England inquiry.

The evidence session comes following recent Government announcements of its long-awaited Land Use Strategy consultation and investment in flood defences.

In the session, EAC will consider how England uses its land for housing, infrastructure and farming and what impact it has on the country's flood resilience. It will explore whether flood resilience is given enough weight in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and whether communities are sufficiently empowered to engage in flood resilience decisions in their local areas.

Conscious of the devastating impact flooding events can have on farmland, there will be specific discussion on operational challenges facing farmers when recovering from flooding and how a balance can be struck between food production and flood resilience responsibilities.

Witnesses

From 14.30:

• Hannah Burgess, President, Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management
• Celia Davis, Senior Projects and Policy Manager, Town and Country Planning Association
• Rachel Hallos, Vice President, National Farmers' Union