Planning experts have called on the government to invoke a 12-year-old law to force developers to deal with flooding and sewage pollution.
Forty planning, engineering and environment groups have written to the prime minister, urging him to implement schedule three of the 2010 Flood and Water Management Act.
The signatories, including the Royal Town Planning Institute, Town and Country Planning Association and Water UK, have said the law should be used to compel housebuilders to build and maintain “sustainable drainage systems”, such as ponds, planters and permeable paving, so drains were not swamped during heavy rain.
The National Federation of Builders said: “There is a likelihood that schedule three becomes the 12th tax on industry in the last two years.”
