Cyfarfod y Pwyllgor Llifogydd ac Erydu Arfordirol: 4 Medi 2025: Cofnodion

Committee Present:

Martin Buckle (MB)    Chair
Paul Blackman (PB)    Wallingford Hydro Solutions
Anne-Marie Moon (AMM)    JBA Consulting
Geraint Edwards (GE)    Conwy County Borough Council 
Paul Williams (PW)     NFU Cymru
Dominic Scott (DS)    Dwr Cymru – Welsh Water
Robin Campbell (RC)    Arup  
Natalie Haines (NatalieH)    Mott MacDonald 
Karen Potter (KP)    Open University
Andrew Stone (AS)    Rhondda Cynon Taf CBC    
Jeremy Parr (JP)    Natural Resources Wales
Mike Wellington (MW)    WaterCo 
Jean-Francois Dulong (JFD)                          Welsh Local Government Association
Ben Kathrens (BK)     Carmarthenshire

Welsh Government 

Chloe Bonnington (CB)            Welsh Government - Flood
Lowri Norrington-Davies (LND)        Welsh Government – Flood
Neil Hemington (Neil H)            Welsh Government – Planning 
Rhys Evans (RE)                Welsh Government – Planning
Alison Kitchener    Welsh Government – Climate Change & Rural Affairs

Other Speakers

Roisin Wilmott (RW)     Cardiff Council
Rachel Sion (RS)    Natural Resource Wales 
David Tarrant (DT)    Natural Resource Wales 
Mark Pugh (MP)    Natural Resource Wales
Ross Akers (RA)    Natural Resource Wales

There were no apologies.

Introductions were made.  

RC declared an interest on item 8 (Arup involvement in commissions that informed the NICW Review) 

 – accepted.

• MB reviewed the minutes of the last meeting and discussed the status of various actions.
• CB confirmed the Terms of reference – Beaver Policy – Not yet available
• KP provided an update on the insurance and flood re consultation report.
• CB confirmed new Deputy Director would be leading on the Taskforce Group. FloodRe Post 2039 will be outlined at the next meeting.

(in iShare) 

MB updated the committee on the meetings and events he attended, including the quarterly meeting with the chairs of the English Regional Flood and Coastal committees, a meeting with the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales, and a meeting of the Flood and Coastal Risk Programme Board.

AS provided an update on the Southeast Wales Regional Group, highlighting the election of a new chair and deputy chair, discussions on terms of reference, and issues related to staff succession and supply chain challenges. MB suggested this latter item needed to be raised at the next Programme Board.

GE provided an update on the North Wales Regional Group, mentioning concerns about inconsistent interpretation of local policies and the development of regional SAB guidance. 

BK provided an update on the Southwest Wales Regional Group, discussing the implementation challenges of TAN 15, collaboration on NFM, and recruitment challenges.

PW noted relating to resourcing and supply chains, there are other frameworks in Wales with consultants that may offer a greater pool of consultants.

Technical Advice Note 15 - Development, Flooding and Coastal Erosion – Clarifications and Queries – Robin Campbell; and Rhys Evans, Senior Planning Manager, Welsh Government.

RE presented the key principles of TAN15, including its risk-based approach, the distinction between greenfield and brownfield development, and the new notification direction for highly vulnerable development proposals.

The Committee discussed various issues and concerns related to Tan 15, including the need for additional guidance, the transition period for applications, and the monitoring of planning decisions

Decisions must be informed by professional judgment and expertise; there is no expectation to create additional guidance. The planning performance framework has been reintroduced to include a matrix on flooding in order to better inform monitoring capacity. 

Action

RE to share presentation.

JP: Are the decision trees intended for publication? How is implementation progressing, and is TAN15 achieving its intended impact? 

RE: the decision trees remain in draft form with no current plans for publication. They are under review, and feedback is welcomed to ensure alignment with policy objectives. Initial responses have been positive, though it’s early days—ongoing monitoring will be essential.
NeilH: It’s too soon to draw firm conclusions, but the decision trees appear to provide useful tools for planning officers. TAN15 has helped highlight the importance of integrating flood risk considerations across policy areas.

NeilH: There’s a need for guidance to be more practitioner focused. Clarification is also needed around private funding, this is governed by the Flood Programme, not TAN15, and schemes must not solely benefit private development. The requirement for an FCA seems generally well understood, though surface water considerations may need further attention. Reviewing FCA trigger thresholds could be beneficial.

JFD:  Supports enhancing surface water considerations through LPAs. Raised concerns about the TAN15 defended zones and the National Database, noting a lack of clarity around long-term defence information. 

JP: Agrees there is a common misconception about defended areas. Emphasised that asset mapping needs improvement and that defended status should never be seen as automatic approval for development.

RC welcomed both RE & NeilH acknowledging this as a significant policy shift that must succeed. While the FCEC review, which RC shared, generated extensive feedback, it's understood not all views will align. The key challenge now is ensuring a consistent understanding across stakeholders.

• Terminology and Flexibility: There is uncertainty around the use of terms such as “consistent”, “compliant”, and “flexible”. Greater clarity is needed on the level of flexibility permitted within the framework.
• Authority Inconsistency: Variations in interpretation and implementation across different authorities — particularly in areas without a designated lead local flood authority, such as national parks — are creating inconsistencies.
• Presentation and Communication: A lack of consistent messaging and presentation is leading to mixed understanding among practitioners.
• Existing NRW technical guidance predates the current version of TAN15, contributing to confusion. An update is needed, and clarity on anticipated timescales would be helpful.
• There are differences in the evidence base used across various sections of TAN15, particularly regarding surface water, which need to be addressed.
• The recognition of insurance considerations is welcomed, but further clarification is needed on how these interface with building control processes.
• The flow chart addressing development intensification is proving to be a particularly contentious area, will therefore require further discussion.
• The FCEC paper represents a collective view of the Committee and should be considered as such.

NeilH acknowledged there are plans to publish the FAQs and flowcharts eventually, with further need for ongoing discussions with NRW to align with updated guidance. Recognise inconsistencies across LAs, especially around insurance, where some have strongly pushed back. There's a clear need for LAs to apply controlled flexibility and local knowledge. 

Planning will share the slide pack and decision tree and RE welcomes feedback.

RC noted that the opportunity to review the FAQs would be welcomed.

NeilH political pressure related to regeneration projects and what this would do to blight development. Again, the question is why it took the TAN15 to pull RMAs together to recognise flood and the need to be future resilient.

NatalieH highlighted the need to review regeneration policy in conjunction with broader planning frameworks. Without careful alignment, new developments may face long-term challenges—not only with insurance but also with mortgage accessibility. NeilH confirmed existing inconsistencies across policies. There is a clear need for local authorities to take greater responsibility in safeguarding communities. Some lenders are already declining mortgage applications in flood-prone areas, underscoring the urgency of addressing these gaps.
MB suggested that the potential role of the committee may merit further consideration at the next Committee.

Action

RC take forward FAQ and broader points for discussion with WG colleagues.

Review by the National Infrastructure Commission for Wales – Response by the Deputy First Minister – Implications for the Committee - Chair.

MB summarised the Deputy First Minister's response to the NICW report, and the advice from the Committee’s Sub-Committees. He highlighted the potential for a new water commissioner, the creation of a 30-year National Flood and Coastal Erosion Resilience Strategy, and the development of regional or local catchment partnerships. The Committee discussed the implications of the NICW recommendations and ministerial responses for their work programme. The advice from the Sub-Committees was accepted.

To consider the report of the Chair on the update of the Work Programme and on its roll forward to 2027 – 28.

MB reviewed the committee's work programme, highlighting the need to create space for a potential new strategy in the next Senedd term, the continuation of the dialogue with the insurance industry, the development of partnership funding opportunities, the preparation of guidance on Section 19 reports, and the need for progress on coastal adaptation guidance.. 

He also proposed shifting to an arrangement where the committee has one teams meeting and three in-person meetings each year to better engage with the regional groups. This proposal was accepted, and the updated work programme was agreed.

10.1     Sub-Committee Membership

 – Chair.- amendments to membership were agreed.

10.2     To receive the minutes and an update from the following;

10.2.1 Section 19 Sub-Committee - 16.05.25. & 04.07.25 

– Paul Blackman; 

PB provided an update on the Section 19 Subcommittee's work, including the development of a stakeholder consultation on the Section 19 reporting process and the proposal to create two form templates.  The consultation is translated and ready to be distributed by mid-September.

10.2.2 Policy & Legislation Sub-Committee 09.06.25

 – Andrew Stone.

AS reported on the Policy and Legislation Subcommittee's work, focusing on the NICW report and its implications for policy and legislation. 

The Subcommittee has been supporting other subcommittees, such as the Resources Subcommittee and the Section 19 Subcommittee, in their work.

10.2.3 Research Sub-Committee 18.06.25

– Jeremy Parr;

JP provided an update on the Research Subcommittee's work, focusing on how Wales identifies its research needs and how those needs are best delivered. 

The Subcommittee is considering different options and aims to create a sustainable and reproducible system for identifying and delivering research needs.

MB reminded colleagues that attendance at sub-committee meetings is at the discretion of the Subcommittee chair.

10.2.4 Resources Sub-Committee 14.08.25

 - Chair;

MB reported on the Resources Subcommittee's recent meeting, which included discussions on:

• the insurance and flood re report
• the sustainable farming scheme
• the subcommittee's work programme priorities, such as developing partnership funding opportunities and progressing work on the role and structure of the regional groups

 – Chloe Bonnington, Head of Flood & Coastal Erosion Policy, Welsh Government.

CB provided a comprehensive update on the Welsh Government's flood and coastal erosion risk management activities, including updates on the capital and revenue programmes, policy developments, natural flood management, coastal adaptation, and local strategies
JFD confirmed the Local Strategies 3 years behind national strategy publication date. 

Action 

CB to share the Flood organogram.

 - Update - Dave Tarrant, & Simon James, Lead Specialist Advisors, Flood Risk Analysis, Natural Resources Wales.

DT - NRW provided an update on the Communities at Risk Register, including the release of CARR 24/25, improvements to the data packs, and ongoing support for local authorities. 

• The Committee discussed the potential use of the climate change version of the CaRR and the need for clear messaging around its use.
• The mapping of uninsured properties and the importance of making climate change data publicly available to support business cases as discussed. 

MP noted ongoing meetings with ABI and UK Finance regarding insurance and mortgage blight issues and invited Committee input for future discussions.

KP welcomed the link to insurance work, noting concerns about the number of people without coverage. The British Red Cross asked if this could be mapped, though consistent data has been difficult to obtain in the past. Research may be needed to identify potential support.
JFD – when do we intend to transition to CaRR25 with climate change? RA confirmed WG has established a task and finish group to take this forward. 

NatalieH, CaRR is only one spatial data set, is there a one pager or notification system or practitioner email list? DT will work with DataMapWales to see if there is a system that NRW could utilise.

DT confirmed the CaRR assumes assets are protected to a 100-year standard. However, a more realistic timeframe, such as 2050, as used by NICW, may help secure stakeholder buy-in and better reflect future conditions.

DT – acknowledged that mapping tools similar to CaRR are continuously evolving. NRW and Welsh Government actively work to improve these products to better support policy development and implementation.

– Modus Operandi – Chair

MB discussed minor updates made to the Committee’s modus operandi, including changes to membership, new paragraphs on equality, diversity, and inclusion, and complaints processes. 
The Committee agreed to the changes and to keep the modus operandi under more frequent review.

RC provided information and shared link for others to wider promote:

Date: Wednesday, 26th November 2025
Location: Novotel Hotel, Cardiff Bay
Theme: Engineering and Nature – Seeking Balance in Flood Risk Management

The annual Wales National Flood Conference is back this year and organised by the CIWEM Welsh branch in partnership with ICE Cymru.

The event programme is still in development but is on the theme of “Engineering and Nature; Seeking Balance in Flood Risk Management”.

We are putting out a call for speakers so suggestions from FCEC would be appreciated.  

We want to hear how innovations and advances in professional practice are creating better outcomes for people, communities and properties affected by flooding, as well as how those working to manage flood risk in Wales are striving to create a balance between NatureBased Solutions and engineering."

- to be discussed

Thursday 20th November 2025, Cathays Park, Cardiff - face to face.

It was agreed that subsequent meetings will alternate between Teams and in-person formats, rotating locations across Wales, with one Teams meeting and three in-person meetings per annum.