Graham Stuart, campaigning Member of Parliament for Beverley and Holderness, is supporting the campaign for Flood Free Homes, launched this week by the Association of British Insurers, supported by Friends of the Earth, Know Your Flood Risk, National Flood Forum, and the Property Care Association’s Flood Protection Group. The aim of the campaign is to raise the issue of long term flood defence investment and land and water management.
Flood Free Homes is campaigning for:
- INVEST. By 2025 £1 billion per year to be spent managing flood risk in order to keep pace with climate change.
- ADAPT. A zero tolerance of inappropriate new developments in areas at risk of flooding.
- PLAN. Cross party consensus on ambitious long term solutions that manage all types of flood risk.
Flooding has long been recognised as the greatest natural threat the UK faces. With Environment Agency data showing around 2 million homes in England and Wales at flood risk now from the rivers and sea, with over 500,000 of these at ‘moderate’ risk or greater, and around 2.4 million additional homes at risk of surface water flooding, we know this is a serious problem facing the country today.
Graham, who is leading the River Hull Advisory Board to create a long term solution for flood risk management around the River Hull catchment area said, “I am delighted to support the campaign for Flood Free Homes which calls for effective management of our land and water. I know the devastating impact that flooding has had on my constituents here in Beverley and Holderness and I want to make sure that home-owners and local businesses do not suffer from destructive floods in the future. We need ambitious long term solutions to ensure that our communities are protected.”
“It was fantastic that last year in the Autumn Statement the Chancellor pledged an £80 million package for the Humber region, including new coastal defences for Paull and ground water schemes for Paull, Thorngumbald, Bilton and the Town of Hedon. But more work needs to be done to ensure that families and businesses are properly protected from damaging flooding.”
