Consultation on promoting property-level flood protection and resilience

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs
Area 2D Ergon House
Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 2AL
Telephone: 020 7238 6000
Website: www.defra.gov.uk

30 July 2008

Dear Consultee,

Consultation on promoting property-level flood protection and resilience

1. Today Defra is publishing a consultation on options to increase the use of property-level measures to mitigate the impacts of flooding for homes that have a high chance of flooding every year.  The consultation builds on the pilot grant scheme that Defra has recently completed.  It asks stakeholders for their views on whether offering households a free home flood survey would be sufficient to drive greater take-up or whether a government grant to subsidise the costs of the measures themselves would be required.  We welcome your views and comments on the proposals.  A copy of this letter, the consultation document, and a list of organisations approached as part of this consultation are also available from Defra’s website - www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/flood-protection

2. To support this consultation, we will be arranging some regional consultation events in the autumn.  Further details will be available in September from
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/flooding/protect/propertylevel.htm

3. Responses to the consultation should be sent via email to floodresilience@defra.gsi.gov.uk and should be received by Friday 31 October 2008.  Responses can also be sent by post to: Flood Resilience Consultation, Defra, Ergon House, Area 2D, Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2AL.

Consultation on a New Strategic Appraisal Framework for Flooding and Coastal Erosion Risk Management

4. Today Defra is also consulting in parallel on a separate policy statement on the Government’s new policy on a Strategic Appraisal Framework for Flooding and Coastal Erosion Risk Management www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/flood-appraisal/. The new document replaces policy set out in the Flood and Coastal Defence Project Appraisal Guidance (FCDPAG Volumes 1-5) published between 1999 and 2001. The new policy is a more concise restatement of the requirements of appraisal, together with updated appraisal policy reflecting the Government’s new strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk management, Making Space for Water.  The policies set out in the new statement are for implementation by operating authorities who use appraisal to justify government investment in flood and coastal erosion risk management, in particular the Environment Agency, local authorities and Internal Drainage Boards.  Practitioner guidance for the implementation of these appraisal policies will be provided by the Environment Agency, in association with other operating authorities by the end of 2008.

5. Responses to the consultation should be sent via email to floodappraisal@defra.gsi.gov.uk  and should be received by Friday 31 October 2008.  Responses can also be sent by post to: Strategic Appraisal Framework Consultation, Defra, Ergon House, Area 2D, Horseferry Road, London, SW1P 2AL.

Consultation procedures

6. In line with Defra's policy of openness, at the end of the consultation period copies of the responses we receive will be made publicly available through the Defra Information Resource Centre, Lower Ground Floor, Ergon House, Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2AL.  The information they contain will also be published in a summary of responses.  The library will supply copies of consultation responses to personal callers or in response to telephone or e-mail requests (020 7238 6575 or defra.library@defra.gsi.gov.uk).  Wherever possible, personal callers should give the library at least 24 hour notice of their requirements.  An administrative charge will be made to cover photocopying and postage costs.

7. If you do not consent to having your response made public, you must clearly request that your response be treated confidentially.  Any confidentiality disclaimer generated by your IT system in e-mail responses will not be treated as such a request.  You should also be aware that there may be circumstances in which Defra will be required to communicate information to third parties on request, in order to comply with its obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and the Environmental Information Regulations. 

8. This consultation paper has been produced in accordance with the Better Regulation Executive Guidance on written consultation.  If you have any comments or complaints about the consultation process, as opposed to the issues covered in the consultation paper, please address them to Marjorie Addo, Defra Consultation Co-ordinator, Area 7C Nobel House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR, or via email consultation.coordinator@defra.gsi.gov.uk

 

Yours sincerely,

Chris de Grouchy
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Page published: 30 July 2008