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Flood and Water Management Bill

56A: After Clause 26, insert the following new Clause— "Regional Flood and Coastal Committees: planning (1) It shall be a function of each Regional Flood and Coastal Committee to assess the flooding risks and hazards associated with building within its region and to report annually to the Environment Agency on the risks and hazards it has identified. (2) The Secretary of State shall, by regulations, establish a scheme to require each local planning authority to consult, and seek the agreement of, the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee for its area before granting consent to any applications for planning permission. (3) If a Regional Flood and Coastal Committee is consulted by a local planning authority under subsection (2) about a planning application, the Regional Flood and Coastal Committee— (a) must assess the flooding risks and hazards that may be associated with the building work described in the planning application to— (i) the building in question, and (ii) the region as a whole; (b) may, if it thinks necessary, make recommendations stipulating how the building work should be carried out to minimise the risks of flooding; (c) must, on the basis of the assessment made under paragraph (a), decide whether to grant consent for the planning application or not, stipulating any recommendations if necessary; (d) must send a copy of the assessment, decision and any recommendations to the local planning authority and the applicant. (4) In this section, "local planning authority" has the same meaning as in section 1 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. (5) Regulations made under this section shall be made by statutory instrument and such an instrument may not be made unless a draft of the instrument has been laid before, and approved by a resolution of, each House of Parliament."