Flood Re wants to see a more consistent and transparent approach to identifying and mitigating flood risk for new developments. It commissioned research from Ardent Consulting Engineering which found that planning bodies currently assume flood risk has been mitigated, which is not always the case. It also found the existing process made it difficult to identify and recognise good practice.

The research proposes a new framework that delivers flood performance certificates through the planning system. It says this will create a consistent and transparent means for the delivery and verification of flood mitigation and property flood resilience measures in new-build housing in England.

Jonathan Kassian, head of flood resilience at Flood Re, said: “Flood Re is committed to the introduction of FPCs and believes the FPC framework can also work for new builds as part of our wider work towards a market that values actions to increase flood resilience.”

Brian Cafferkey, director at Ardent Consulting Engineers, added: “While flood resilience is taken account of in the planning system, flood performance certificates provide that step change that ensures independent verification that flood mitigation and property flood resilience measures have been delivered as designed.

“By creating a trusted, transferable record of as-built resilience information, this will improve transparency, strengthen confidence for homeowners, insurers and lenders and support more resilient new homes.”