"Why don't people who buy new homes on the flood plains sue their councils or developers for selling them homes that are not fit for purpose as homes?"

From the letters pages of last Friday's Guardian:


Flooding must serve as a wake-up call for us all

• The Guardian, Thursday 6 February 2014 21.00 GMT

Railway workers inspect the main Exeter to Plymouth railway line that has been closed due to parts of it being washed away by the sea at Dawlish on February 5 2014. Photograph: Matt Cardy/Getty Images

• Some 5 million people, 2.3m homes and 185,000 businesses are on flood plains in England and Wales (PM takes control of emergency response to floods, 6 February). Around 10% of houses in England are at risk of flooding. The real scandal is that around 10% of new homes in England are built on flood plains each year, justified by local planners by the fig leaf of Suds (Sustainable urban drainage systems) that do not work on flood plains during flooding. In Norway or France, if a planner or mayor gives permission to develop in the flood plain then they are held liable, and may go to prison. Why don't people who buy new homes on the flood plains sue their councils or developers for selling them homes that are not fit for purpose as homes?

Councils love to put buildings like sheltered housing, schools and even hospitals on flood plains where accountability is vague. Why don't all those affected sue the people who put their lives and wellbeing at risk for profit? There are lots of legal precedents for doing so, as in theEnvironment Agency v Tonbridge & Malling district council (2001), Bloor v Swindon borough council (2001) and many others. A legal precedent was set by Ryeford Homes v Sevenoaks district council (1990) where a claim was made for damages against the planning authority in respect of flooding caused by allowing over-development. Developers must be reined in. They should not be allowed to ruin lives. Why do councils do it?

Professor Sue Roaf
Edinburgh

Flooding must serve as a wake-up call for us all | @guardianletters | Environment | The Guardian

From a 2003 report from Panorama:
BBC News | PANORAMA | Building on flood plains

Insurance companies are interested:
Flood plain speaking
Futures Forum: If you have an expensive house near the sea, it’s time to sell
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