Stricter controls on new property developments alongside up to £12bn of investment in drainage infrastructure over the next thirty years will be necessary to stop thousands more homes and businesses from flooding due to inadequate drainage, according to a new report by the National Infrastructure Commission. Localised floods across England last month alongside a series of […]

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Most parts of the UK have seen significant rainfall over the last few days, but the drought is not over. Latest news includes Hosepipe bans in Yorkshire Water (from 26 Aug) and potentially Thames Water Environment Secretary meeting with water companies Sir John Armitt, chair of the National Infrastructure Commission, calling for greater investment in […]

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Following last week’s piece about the EA’s convening of the National Drought Group, the National Infrastructure Commission has warned of emergency queues on the streets, without swift and extensive hosepipe ban and compulsory water metering. This follows the driest July in England since 1935. Reported in the Guardian, “a national hosepipe ban should be implemented […]

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Read the government response here From WaterBriefing The Government has accepted the National Infrastructure Commission recommendation to implement resilience standards for infrastructure operators and stress testing against the standards, subject to the outcome of the current National Resilience Strategy call for evidence. The Government has published a policy paper setting out its initial response to […]

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Analysing a range of scenarios for how the use of public transport, broadband networks and utilities might change as a result of Covid-19 and regularly reviewing which trends seem to be playing out is the best way of avoiding policy paralysis in the face of huge uncertainties, according to the National Infrastructure Commission. Behaviour change […]

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The Global Commission on Adaptation has published a report ‘Adapt Now: A Global Call for Leadership on Climate Resilience’. The key messages of the report include: Investing $1.8 trillion globally in five areas from 2020 to 2030 could generate £7.1 trillion in total net benefits. Adaptation actions bring multiple benefits, called the triple dividend – […]

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National infrastructure assessment consultation includes water, sewerage and flood defences NIC ‘The National Infrastructure Commission has launched a consultation into the process and methodology of the National Infrastructure Assessment (NIA). In its plan to establish the National Infrastructure Commission, the government set out a responsibility for the commission to: analyse the UK’s long-term economic infrastructure needs […]

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