Let me share three stories with you: first, of a village, which, when it rains, becomes near impossible to leave due to flooding; second, of a street with human waste running down it, thanks to overflowing sewers partly caused by the pressure from new housing developments nearby; and third, of a train packed with commuters and tourists on their way to London, stuck on a line, and ultimately cancelled due to severe wind and rainfall.

South Devon is affected by all of this, and many more localised flooding and sewage overspill events.

While I’m sure anyone who’s spent time outside – or more likely, staring out the window – over the past fortnight will not be too shocked by these stories, it is still concerning that already, when we are not officially in winter yet, extreme weather is playing havoc with our lives.

And the sad truth is that these stories are going to become more common in the next few months.

Our climate is changing, and not for the better – between September 2022 and March of this year, England experienced its wettest 18-months since records began nearly 200 years ago. Flooding already costs the UK economy more than £1bn annually – and up to £5bn on a bad year – and with the climate crisis continuing more or less unabated, the annual damage caused by flooding could rise by 20% in the future.

Since becoming an MP, I’ve met with residents, government agencies, landowners, campaigners and constituents in Modbury, Kingsbridge and Compton, and farmers across South Devon to discuss the impact flooding is having on people’s lives and livelihoods. At every meeting we have discussed the broad steps necessary to prevent floods in the future.

And believe me when I say they are broad! Flood prevention requires systems level thinking, meaning we must solve the problems both with the overall system and with its individual parts. This includes everything from planting more trees to build up a canopy of leaves, branches, and trunks to reduce runoff and slow down the flow of rain, prioritising permeable paving over asphalt, rethinking the water industry model and overhauling our frankly inadequate sewage network.

Significant changes in the planning system are also required. Water-related issues must be considered at the pre-planning stage to ensure there is sufficient capacity in the sewage and supply network to support any new homes before they are built.

Water companies should be statutory consultees on any planning proposals, rather than the interested party they currently are. This might sound like a minor point, but the differences between the two roles in the overall process are vast. Making the switch sets out a requirement in law for water companies to be consulted on any planning proposals.

Tackling flooding is a complex and difficult process, but, as our climate changes, it is something that will begin to impact more and more of us. It is vital we all play our part to reduce its impact and I’ll do all I can to get the legislative changes we need to start improving the situation.