Aviva’s latest analysis reports that one in nine new homes in England have been built in areas at risk of flooding, with 26% constructed in flood zones between 2013 and 2022. The study highlights a continued trend of development in higher-risk areas at a time when rainfall intensity and surface water pressures are increasing.
For many in the sector, this is not entirely new. Development in areas exposed to flood risk has been debated for years. What the data reinforces, however, is the growing pressure placed on the infrastructure that serves those communities long after planning consent has been granted.
Development Changes How Water Behaves
Every new housing development alters runoff patterns. Additional impermeable surfaces increase the speed and volume of surface water entering drainage systems, while higher population density increases the consequence of failure.
As rainfall events become more intense and ground saturation more frequent, drainage networks are required to operate under conditions that differ significantly from their original design assumptions. The question therefore extends beyond where homes are built. It becomes an operational challenge about how those networks are understood, prioritised and maintained over time.
SuDS Are Part of the Answer – But Not the Whole Answer
Sustainable Drainage Systems are now embedded in modern development policy. When properly designed and implemented, they slow and store water close to source and reduce downstream pressure.
However, installation alone does not guarantee resilience. SuDS must:
Be located where they deliver meaningful reduction in risk
Be integrated with the wider drainage network
Be captured within asset registers
Be inspected and maintained consistently
Without long-term visibility and management, even well-designed systems can underperform quietly as conditions change.
The Governance Challenge
The Aviva findings also underline a broader governance issue. As communities expand, expectations around accountability increase. Residents want clarity on how risk is assessed, how maintenance priorities are set and how resilience is demonstrated year after year.
Flood resilience cannot sit solely within planning policy. It must be supported by structured, evidence-led asset management that reflects changing climate patterns and evolving network demands.
Seeing the Whole Network
Ultimately, the debate is not simply about where homes are built. It is about whether authorities can see and understand the drainage systems serving those homes as a connected whole.
That means understanding:
How legacy and new assets interact
Where vulnerability sits across a network
Which communities are most exposed
How prioritisation decisions are made under pressure
This is where data and network visibility become critical. When drainage assets, SuDS, inspection history and risk factors are viewed together rather than in isolation, authorities are better equipped to make defensible, long-term decisions.
Housing growth will continue. Climate pressures will continue.
The difference will lie in how clearly we understand the systems beneath our communities and how consistently they are managed.