Environment and planning experts: UK floods were 'preventable'

Leading environmental and planning experts said that correct waste management techniques were not used, resulting to UK floods.

15:53 21 February 2014

Following shadow chancellor Ed Balls’ announcement that the Labour government would make investment in defences a priority, leading environmental and planning experts have urged the prime minister to adopt a clear strategy in order to prevent future flood in the UK.

The UK is now experiencing its wettest winter on record since 1910 and there are no signs that flood will completely go away anytime soon. There are now two severe flood warnings in place on the Somerset Levels, which has been suffering from prolonged flooding since December.

There are also 70 flood warnings, and nearly 120 less serious flood alerts, currently in place across England and Wales.

Experts from environmental and planning organisations, which include hydrologists, landscape architects, ecologists and engineers, sent an open letter asking the government to devise a flood prevention policy for the future.

"While we are pleased to hear that the prime minister will provide leadership and funding, it is essential that government actions are based on best practice developed over many years," they said in a joint statement.

"Water management techniques could have helped prevent the effect of flooding on villages, towns and over surrounding land seen recently.

"Emergency measures are in order for the immediate crisis. But in the long term, the management of water requires a clear strategy.”