97% believe restriction of planning law “key” to reducing flooding

Ninety-seven percent of people believe that a restriction of planning law in Ireland is “key” to solving the country’s flooding headache.

An AA Home Insurance survey of over 7,500 people indicates the majority of people think a restriction of planning law that would see no houses built on floodplains is the most important step to reducing flooding.

In the past councillors were allowed to overturn the decisions of professional planners and push ahead with developments that may have been previously flagged as inappropriate. They were also allowed to direct the executive in respect of planning functions. Those powers were subsequently abolished under the Local Government Reform Act in 2014.

“Despite the termination of powers once held by councillors, there are still too many ways for an inappropriate development to get the green-light,” says AA CEO Brendan Nevin. “Building on flood-plains can still effectively occur. Our Flood Risk Management Guidelines, devised so that we no longer had an excuse when building in appropriate areas, contain rigorous assessments. Even so, we’re still running the serious risk of avoiding, or “massaging”, the rules.”

Other key recommendations backed by the survey’s participants include sustained investment in flood defences (94%), and the development and implementation of a national flood warning system (92%).

A further 95 percent deem the creation of clear and accurate flood maps as a decisive key to tackling flooding.

The research also indicates that thirty percent of people are open to paying a levy on insurance premiums in order to support the flood victims of “legacy houses” – but only if Ireland’s flooding issues are solved first.

Participants were asked how open they would be to paying an extra levy on their Home Insurance to support the flood victims of “legacy houses”, homes that are plagued with chronic flooding and effectively uninsurable. And while 30 percent are in favour of the levy, 50 percent say they would not approve with the remainder having no strong view either way.

“There is a lot we can do to stop floods causing damage but even when that is complete there are some homes that will remain impossible to insure,” advises Brendan. “We all agree that we cannot just abandon these people who are innocent victims of bad planning. We have to look after them; the question is, how?”

The research finds that public opinion differs slightly across the various regions affected by last winter’s floods. Residents in Donegal, where the River Finn burst its banks sparked by Storm Desmond, are least prepared to pay a higher insurance premium, followed by those in Limerick (55%).

In addition to the AA’s quantitative data, there were over 1,100 direct comments received which is perhaps an indication of the depth of feeling.

“Many felt that it was the State that should bear the cost,” says Brendan. “People are not being unsympathetic to victims but they do ask why the economic cost of bad planning and foolishness should be paid for by ordinary homeowners when they buy insurance. It is a reasonable point.”

Among the locations besieged by recent flooding, Tipperary dwellers are most willing to support victims through the levy (30%). Nationally, Dublin residents, although largely unaffected by recent flooding, were most in favour of the measure (33%).

Notes

Fig 1. Please mark on the scale provided how important, if at all, you consider the following actions to be in solving Ireland’s flood problem.

(Based on 7,545 responses via AA Home Insurance poll during March 2016)

Fig 2. We estimate that after flood defence works are completed there will still be around 8,000-15,000 houses that cannot be insured. With this is mind, please mark to what extent you would be willing to pay a higher insurance premium in order to support the flood victims of these legacy houses?

(Based on 6,970 responses via AA Home Insurance poll during March 2016)