The Government recognises that local planning authorities need to have access to the most up to date information on current and future flood risk, and that they need the necessary skills and resources to properly assess flood risk and take it into account when making planning decisions. The Planning Advisory Service provides training and support to local planning authorities. Defra and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government also jointly funded a programme of training for local authority planners, which concluded in 2012. The Government is committed to providing local authorities with up to date information on flood risk. The Environment Agency’s Flood Map for Planning service21 provides local planning authorities with free information on flood risk from rivers, the sea, surface water and reservoirs. The Government is also developing a new National Flood Risk Assessment that will provide a single picture of current and future flood risk from rivers, the sea and surface water, using both existing detailed local information and improved national data. It will launch by 2024 and will be available as open data and will provide more accessible and trusted data and information for accessing the local risk and making appropriate decisions. With the right information available, local planning authorities are able to manage the flood risk from development with appropriate planning conditions and mitigation measures. For example, where planning permission is granted, conditions can be attached to ensure that developers build in resilience measures and that the development will not increase flood risk elsewhere. For householder applications the local planning authority must have regard to the Environment Agency’s standing advice on minor extensions, which contains a flood risk assessment checklist to determine whether a full flood risk assessment is needed.22 If a full flood risk assessment is required, then appropriate mitigation measures should be provided to ensure the development is safe and does not increase flood risk elsewhere. It is recognised, however, that there can be local circumstances where a specific FRA is needed, in which case the Environment Agency is available to offer advice, which is a service that is paid for by the applicant. There are also permitted development rights where planning permission is not required, but measures are put in place to ensure that flood risk is properly assessed and managed. For example, for certain types of development in areas at Flood Zone 3 (high probability of flooding), such as new conservatories, the applicant must first apply for planning permission. This ensures that the local planning authority will consider the flood risk implications of the proposed development before granting planning permission and can ensure that any flood risks are appropriately mitigated. Following the independent review into the arrangements for determining responsibility for surface water and drainage assets, the Government committed to make changes to permitted development rights to ensure that local flood risk is properly considered before such rights can be implemented. The Government has now delivered this commitment. Prior to certain permitted development rights being used the applicant must first obtain “prior approval” from the local planning authority in relation to the local flood risk to or from the site. The local planning authority must consult with the Environment Agency as required and may refuse prior approval. To minimise cumulative impacts, the provision of over 5m2 of hard surfacing in front gardens is permitted where the hard surface is made of porous materials, or the run-off is directed from the hard surface to a permeable or porous area or surface within the curtilage of the house. If this cannot be achieved the homeowner must make an application for planning permission. 21 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/flood-risk-and-coastal-change 22 https://www.gov.uk/guidance/flood-risk-assessment-standing-advice#advice-for-minor-extensions