Local Hull West and Hessle MP Emma Hardy today stood in the House of Commons and fought for the implementation of a bill which would ensure more protection for new build public and private properties and a national minimum requirement for flooding mitigation.
The Humber has the second largest area of floodplain in the UK, and Hull tops the list of local authorities with the largest number of homes classified as at high risk of flooding, at nearly 20,000 properties. In 2007, Hull was hit by floods causing £40 million worth of damage and many still have vivid memories of the water devastating our city.
Within Ms Hardy’s constituency of Hull West and Hessle only the wards of Hessle (35%) and Newington and Gipsyville (95%) have less than 98% of their population within flood risk category 3. (1)
Emma Hardy MP said:
“In 2020, the UN’s environment programme highlighted that increased flooding is likely to be one of the early visible signs of this climate change. In Hull and the East Riding of Yorkshire, and indeed in Yorkshire, the Midlands, the South West and the South East, this is something we understand.”
“We understand it because it’s something that has happened to us recently with Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis. We can all remember when the run-off from fields closed the A63 in November 2019 and blocked Hull off from the M62.”
“There have been some improvements over the years such as the Flood Re scheme but this needs improvement. The Bill I have proposed calls for 5 areas of change. Firstly, to set out binding planning requirements for properties, enforced by local authorities. Secondly, to create a scheme, binding on the insurance industry, to recognise when a home has obtained flood prevention measures; and thirdly, to extend the Flood Re scheme further.”
“Finally, the Flood Re scheme needs to cover newbuilds after 2009 and it needs to cover small and medium enterprises as well.”
“A survey I carried out in my constituency over the summer shows that these changes are also supported by many members of the public too. When it comes to support for these measures today, we should remember that the tide is rising, both literally and metaphorically and now is the time to act.”
