This is the main conclusion of an influential panel of experts brought together by Hyder Consulting.

The panel called for a joined-up approach to flood and water management, with a formalised national water strategy to provide a framework for co-ordinating the work of local authorities, water and sewerage firms and landowners in England and Wales to ensure that flood defences take into account the regional nature of rivers and drainage.

The Hyder Consulting Flood Risk and Urban Development panel, which is made up of senior hydrologists, insurers, local authority representatives and urban development specialists, concluded that without this holistic approach, coupled with strong national, regional and local co-ordination of flood prevention and management plans, then flooding will take an increasing toll on the economic and social life of the country and could lead to large areas of England and Wales becoming uninsurable. It also called for action by planners and developers to ensure that homes in flood risk areas are built to withstand influxes of water with nationally agreed design and building regulations.

Some members of the Hyder Consulting panel criticised an apparent lack of joined up thinking on water management, where it seems some local authorities don’t appear to be working outside their own boundaries to address flood risk. The work of planners and flood and water management teams in some areas can appear to be less co-ordinated than is required.  A chronic lack of funding for flood risk assessment and water management schemes was thought to be exacerbating the problem.

While the panel recognised that climate change was making extreme weather events and flooding more likely, they believed the greatest issue was ongoing development and human intervention, with building on high-risk flood areas and a lack of permeable spaces to allow water storage in new developments putting homes and businesses at risk.  It was pointed out that new building in flood risk areas no longer happens in Scotland, Wales or N. Ireland and this is a particularly English problem.