Flooding may have shot up the political agenda but that hasn't stopped local planning authorities driving through housing developments in areas at severe risk of flooding.

From Cornwall to London, to Cardiff, Leeds and Northumberland, local authorities across England and Wales have been ignoring the Environment Agency's (EA) protests and waving through developments on flood-prone land.

As Britain endures another weekend of torrential rain and further flooding, figures obtained by The Independent on Sunday reveal that last year local councils allowed at least 87 planning developments involving 560 homes to proceed in England and Wales in areas at such high risk of flooding that the EA formally opposed them. The biggest development of this kind is the 149-home Goresbrook Village Estate in Dagenham, Essex, expected to be ready for occupation in March 2015.

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"Eighty-seven new developments is a ridiculous number and there is no justification for it – it should be zero," said Bob Ward, the director of policy at the London School of Economics' Grantham Institute. "This is exactly the kind of decision-making that has made flooding more of a problem than it should be and that threatens the lives and livelihoods of many people," Mr Ward added, calling on the Government to intervene.

David Leigh, the landscape manager of the Somerset Wildlife Trust, believes the best solution in some cases is simply to move. "A lot of the communities affected in the Somerset Levels and Moors are very old villages and it would be a very big step to start suggesting the whole village move. However, there are some isolated properties that do cause problems when trying to make the local landscape more resilient. Those people will need help."

He advocates allowing some areas of farmland to flood to relieve the pressure on the surrounding land and moving those properties elsewhere.

The numbers of homes being built in the face of the EA's opposition are increasing markedly. That rise appears to be part of a broader trend, with developers seeking to push through more projects on land at high risk of flooding to satisfy demand for new houses. Last year, developers proposed 618 construction projects on land the agency deemed to be particularly high risk, an increase of more than a third on the previous year.

Shape Created with Sketch. In Pictures: 2014 Winter floods Show all 60 left Created with Sketch. right Created with Sketch. Shape Created with Sketch. In Pictures: 2014 Winter floods 1/60 Floods in Surrey Thorpe Park in Surrey sits in flood water 2/60 Floods in Surrey Flood water at Walton-on-Thames, Surrey 3/60 Floods in Surrey Flood water surrounds the M3 motorway near to Chertsey, Surrey, as Royal Engineers were now being tasked to carry out a high-speed assessment of damage to the UK's flood defence infrastructure 4/60 Floods in Chertsey Tom Poulter surveys the damage in his flooded garden which backs on to the Thames in Chertsey 5/60 Floods in Chertsey Tom Poulter wades across his flooded garden to his house in Chertsey 6/60 Floods in Chertsey Laleham Reach resident of 20 years Tom Poulter wades across his flooded garden to his house in Chertsey 7/60 Floods in Chertsey Carol Murdoch assesses the damage to her flooded shed in Chertsey 8/60 Floods in Chertsey Laleham Reach resident Steve Rastall returns home with supplies of shopping and logs for the fire in Chertsey 9/60 Floods in Hurley A woman uses a dinghy to transport her children from their property, which is situated adjacent to the river Thames and surrounded by flood water in Hurley 10/60 Floods in Hurley The pavilion of Hurley Cricket Club, which is situated near to the river Thames, is surrounded by flood water in Hurley 11/60 Floods in Staines-Upon-Thames Flood water surrounds housing in Staines-Upon-Thames, England Getty Images 12/60 Floods in Wargrave A large house near the River Thames is surrounded by flood water in Wargrave Getty Images 13/60 Floods in Worcester Floodwater in the town of Worcester in western England Getty Images 14/60 Floods in Wraysbury Nigel Gray leaves his home in a rowing boat after the river Thames flooded the village of Wraysbury 15/60 Floods in Wraysbury The front gate to a house is seen surrounded by water after the river Thames flooded the village of Wraysbury 16/60 Floods in Wraysbury A resident wearing homemade waders carries a dog through floodwater as residents begin to evacuate homes in Wraysbury 17/60 Floods in Datchet Residents carry sandbags through flood water to protect their homes as flood water continues to rise after the river Thames burst it's banks in Datchet 18/60 Floods in Datchet Locals look at flooded railway lines after river Thames burst it's banks in Datchet 19/60 Floods in Datchet A man brings a family member home on a boat after flood water continues to rise after the river Thames burst it's banks in Datchet 20/60 Floods in Datchet A youth cycles through flood water after the river Thames burst it's banks on February in Datchet 21/60 Floods in Somerset Nigel Farage wades in water as he visits a flooded property at Burrowbridge on the Somerset Levels near Bridgwater 22/60 Floods in Moorlands A general view of an owners home that has been affected by flooding in Moorlands 23/60 Floods in Burrowbridge Flood waters engulf a house with a wall of sandbags around it in Burrowbridge 24/60 Floods in Somerset A car sits in flood water on a flooded property at Burrowbridge on the Somerset Levels near Bridgwater 25/60 Floods in Burrowbridge Devon and Somerset Fire and rescue service evacuate two women and two cats in baskets through flood waters in Burrowbridge 26/60 Floods in Moorland A graveyard is seen underwater in the village of Moorland 27/60 Floods in Moorland A graveyard is seen underwater in the village of Moorland 28/60 Flooding near Bury A train heads to Pulborough over the Arun flood plain near Bury, England 29/60 Flooding in Twickenham A car is submerged in flood water from the River Thames in Twickenham, south London 30/60 Flooding in Twickenham Flood water from the River Thames covers roads in Twickenham, south London 31/60 Flooding Bristol A cyclist struggles through flood water in Bristol 32/60 Flooding in Bristol River defence barriers are put in place in Bristol after flooding from the River Avon 33/60 Floods in Somerset A car drives through flood water on the Somerset Levels near Langport in Somerset 34/60 Floods in Somerset Flood water collects in an allotment site near Langport in Somerset 35/60 Floods in Somerset Flooded fields surround the River Tone that has burst its banks viewed from Windmill Hill, in Stoke-St-Gregory near Langport in Somerset 36/60 Floods in Somerset Trees are reflected in flood waters on the Somerset Levels near Langport in Somerset 37/60 Floods in Somerset Farmer Roger Forgan uses a boat to cross farm land in front of his flooded farm which has been cut off by flood waters at Muchelney near Langport in Somerset 38/60 Floods in Somerset A man walks beside the River Tone seen from Windmill Hill, Somerset, as flooding persists on the levels 39/60 Floods in Somerset Flooded fields around the River Tone seen from Windmill Hill, Somerset 40/60 Floods in Somerset An electricity survey helicopter flies over flooded farmland surrounding Burrowbridge in Somerset 41/60 Floods in Somerset Flooded farmland surrounding Burrowbridge in Somerset 42/60 Floods in East Sussex Anne Bourmer wades through flood water outside her home in Hooe, East Sussex, as more heavy rain sweeps across the country 43/60 Floods in Somerset Flood water is pumped into the River Parrott by the Environment Agency in Moorland in Somerset 44/60 Floods in Somerset A flood sign is seen in flood waters surrounding farm buildings in Somerset 45/60 Floods in Somerset Debris washed up by flood water is seen at James Winslade's farm in Moorland in Somerset 46/60 Floods in Somerset Farmer James Winslade stands in front of bales of animal feed as he surveys some of his 790 acres of flooded land at his farm in Moorland in Somerset, England 47/60 Floods in Somerset Flood water surrounds a house in the village of Thorney in Somerset 48/60 Floods in Somerset A car is seen submerged on the side of a flooded road leading into the cut-off village of Muchelney in Somerset. A local council declared a major incident on the flood-hit Somerset Levels where some villages like Muchelney have been cut off for weeks by flooding that has submerged roads and thousands of acres of farmland in the area of southwestern England 49/60 Floods in Somerset A policeman on a boat looks at a car submerged on the side of a flooded road leading into the cut-off village of Muchelney in Somerset 50/60 Floods in Somerset The village of Muchelney is seen beyond flood water in Somerset 51/60 Floods in Somerset Residents disembark a boat after being transported from the cut-off village of Muchelney in Somerset on 27 January. A new plan to deal with a flood-hit area of south-west England will be drawn up within six weeks, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson announced as he was confronted by angry residents 52/60 Floods in Somerset Pipes pump flood water into a river in Burrow Bridge, flood-hit Somerset on 27 January. A local council last week declared a major incident on the flooded Somerset Levels where some villages have been cut off for weeks by water that has submerged roads and thousands of acres of farmland 53/60 Floods in Somerset Cattle feed in a barn in front of a flooded farm yard in the village of Thorney along the road to Muchelney on 24 January 54/60 Floods in Somerset Workers from Pontoonworks build a pontoon along the road leading to the village of Muchelney to help villagers board a boat which has been used for transport along flooded roads on 24 January 55/60 Floods in Kent Resident Jeff Hopcroft looks out from his flooded house on January 2, 2014 in Yalding, England 56/60 Floods in Kent A resident measures the level of flood water outside his home in Yalding 57/60 Floods in Kent A couple in a canoe travel across the flood water near Yalding 58/60 Floods in Surrey Flood water from the River Mole rises after recent heavy rain in Leatherhead, England 59/60 Floods in Kent A resident walks through the Little Venice Caravan Park in Yalding, Kent, as flood waters return to the site after recent bad weather 60/60 Flooding in Kent Residents Ian Peacock and Caroline Hine leave the Little Venice Caravan Park in a boat after the heavy rains brought back the floods in the area 1/60 Floods in Surrey Thorpe Park in Surrey sits in flood water 2/60 Floods in Surrey Flood water at Walton-on-Thames, Surrey 3/60 Floods in Surrey Flood water surrounds the M3 motorway near to Chertsey, Surrey, as Royal Engineers were now being tasked to carry out a high-speed assessment of damage to the UK's flood defence infrastructure 4/60 Floods in Chertsey Tom Poulter surveys the damage in his flooded garden which backs on to the Thames in Chertsey 5/60 Floods in Chertsey Tom Poulter wades across his flooded garden to his house in Chertsey 6/60 Floods in Chertsey Laleham Reach resident of 20 years Tom Poulter wades across his flooded garden to his house in Chertsey 7/60 Floods in Chertsey Carol Murdoch assesses the damage to her flooded shed in Chertsey 8/60 Floods in Chertsey Laleham Reach resident Steve Rastall returns home with supplies of shopping and logs for the fire in Chertsey 9/60 Floods in Hurley A woman uses a dinghy to transport her children from their property, which is situated adjacent to the river Thames and surrounded by flood water in Hurley 10/60 Floods in Hurley The pavilion of Hurley Cricket Club, which is situated near to the river Thames, is surrounded by flood water in Hurley 11/60 Floods in Staines-Upon-Thames Flood water surrounds housing in Staines-Upon-Thames, England Getty Images 12/60 Floods in Wargrave A large house near the River Thames is surrounded by flood water in Wargrave Getty Images 13/60 Floods in Worcester Floodwater in the town of Worcester in western England Getty Images 14/60 Floods in Wraysbury Nigel Gray leaves his home in a rowing boat after the river Thames flooded the village of Wraysbury 15/60 Floods in Wraysbury The front gate to a house is seen surrounded by water after the river Thames flooded the village of Wraysbury 16/60 Floods in Wraysbury A resident wearing homemade waders carries a dog through floodwater as residents begin to evacuate homes in Wraysbury 17/60 Floods in Datchet Residents carry sandbags through flood water to protect their homes as flood water continues to rise after the river Thames burst it's banks in Datchet 18/60 Floods in Datchet Locals look at flooded railway lines after river Thames burst it's banks in Datchet 19/60 Floods in Datchet A man brings a family member home on a boat after flood water continues to rise after the river Thames burst it's banks in Datchet 20/60 Floods in Datchet A youth cycles through flood water after the river Thames burst it's banks on February in Datchet 21/60 Floods in Somerset Nigel Farage wades in water as he visits a flooded property at Burrowbridge on the Somerset Levels near Bridgwater 22/60 Floods in Moorlands A general view of an owners home that has been affected by flooding in Moorlands 23/60 Floods in Burrowbridge Flood waters engulf a house with a wall of sandbags around it in Burrowbridge 24/60 Floods in Somerset A car sits in flood water on a flooded property at Burrowbridge on the Somerset Levels near Bridgwater 25/60 Floods in Burrowbridge Devon and Somerset Fire and rescue service evacuate two women and two cats in baskets through flood waters in Burrowbridge 26/60 Floods in Moorland A graveyard is seen underwater in the village of Moorland 27/60 Floods in Moorland A graveyard is seen underwater in the village of Moorland 28/60 Flooding near Bury A train heads to Pulborough over the Arun flood plain near Bury, England 29/60 Flooding in Twickenham A car is submerged in flood water from the River Thames in Twickenham, south London 30/60 Flooding in Twickenham Flood water from the River Thames covers roads in Twickenham, south London 31/60 Flooding Bristol A cyclist struggles through flood water in Bristol 32/60 Flooding in Bristol River defence barriers are put in place in Bristol after flooding from the River Avon 33/60 Floods in Somerset A car drives through flood water on the Somerset Levels near Langport in Somerset 34/60 Floods in Somerset Flood water collects in an allotment site near Langport in Somerset 35/60 Floods in Somerset Flooded fields surround the River Tone that has burst its banks viewed from Windmill Hill, in Stoke-St-Gregory near Langport in Somerset 36/60 Floods in Somerset Trees are reflected in flood waters on the Somerset Levels near Langport in Somerset 37/60 Floods in Somerset Farmer Roger Forgan uses a boat to cross farm land in front of his flooded farm which has been cut off by flood waters at Muchelney near Langport in Somerset 38/60 Floods in Somerset A man walks beside the River Tone seen from Windmill Hill, Somerset, as flooding persists on the levels 39/60 Floods in Somerset Flooded fields around the River Tone seen from Windmill Hill, Somerset 40/60 Floods in Somerset An electricity survey helicopter flies over flooded farmland surrounding Burrowbridge in Somerset 41/60 Floods in Somerset Flooded farmland surrounding Burrowbridge in Somerset 42/60 Floods in East Sussex Anne Bourmer wades through flood water outside her home in Hooe, East Sussex, as more heavy rain sweeps across the country 43/60 Floods in Somerset Flood water is pumped into the River Parrott by the Environment Agency in Moorland in Somerset 44/60 Floods in Somerset A flood sign is seen in flood waters surrounding farm buildings in Somerset 45/60 Floods in Somerset Debris washed up by flood water is seen at James Winslade's farm in Moorland in Somerset 46/60 Floods in Somerset Farmer James Winslade stands in front of bales of animal feed as he surveys some of his 790 acres of flooded land at his farm in Moorland in Somerset, England 47/60 Floods in Somerset Flood water surrounds a house in the village of Thorney in Somerset 48/60 Floods in Somerset A car is seen submerged on the side of a flooded road leading into the cut-off village of Muchelney in Somerset. A local council declared a major incident on the flood-hit Somerset Levels where some villages like Muchelney have been cut off for weeks by flooding that has submerged roads and thousands of acres of farmland in the area of southwestern England 49/60 Floods in Somerset A policeman on a boat looks at a car submerged on the side of a flooded road leading into the cut-off village of Muchelney in Somerset 50/60 Floods in Somerset The village of Muchelney is seen beyond flood water in Somerset 51/60 Floods in Somerset Residents disembark a boat after being transported from the cut-off village of Muchelney in Somerset on 27 January. A new plan to deal with a flood-hit area of south-west England will be drawn up within six weeks, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson announced as he was confronted by angry residents 52/60 Floods in Somerset Pipes pump flood water into a river in Burrow Bridge, flood-hit Somerset on 27 January. A local council last week declared a major incident on the flooded Somerset Levels where some villages have been cut off for weeks by water that has submerged roads and thousands of acres of farmland 53/60 Floods in Somerset Cattle feed in a barn in front of a flooded farm yard in the village of Thorney along the road to Muchelney on 24 January 54/60 Floods in Somerset Workers from Pontoonworks build a pontoon along the road leading to the village of Muchelney to help villagers board a boat which has been used for transport along flooded roads on 24 January 55/60 Floods in Kent Resident Jeff Hopcroft looks out from his flooded house on January 2, 2014 in Yalding, England 56/60 Floods in Kent A resident measures the level of flood water outside his home in Yalding 57/60 Floods in Kent A couple in a canoe travel across the flood water near Yalding 58/60 Floods in Surrey Flood water from the River Mole rises after recent heavy rain in Leatherhead, England 59/60 Floods in Kent A resident walks through the Little Venice Caravan Park in Yalding, Kent, as flood waters return to the site after recent bad weather 60/60 Flooding in Kent Residents Ian Peacock and Caroline Hine leave the Little Venice Caravan Park in a boat after the heavy rains brought back the floods in the area

The agency, while it must be consulted during planning, does not have powers to stop a development – which rest with the local planning authority.

Dr Hannah Choke, a flooding expert from the University of Reading, said the figures were "disturbing". "The real problem with the Somerset Levels is that the people are no longer attuned to the landscape," she says. "In the past, everyone who lived there was attached to the agricultural system and they expected flooding. Now people live there because it's a nice place to live and they have lost touch and been removed from the functions of the landscape, so when flooding happens, it causes problems."

The EA and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) would not criticise local authorities for ignoring the agency's concerns. However, a DCLG spokesman said: "National planning policy is clear that inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding should be avoided, and it should not be permitted in areas where it is intended for water to flow or be stored at times of flood. Where development is necessary, it should be made safe without increasing flood risk elsewhere."

A 2012 report by the Government's official climate change adviser – the Climate Change Committee (CCC) – concluded that the planning policy "approval process is not sufficiently transparent or accountable".

The report found that 13 per cent of all new developments were on flood plains. While many flood zone developments are well protected, one in five was in an area "of significant risk under today's climate". It noted that much of Britain is now so densely populated that developments on flood plains are growing much faster than those outside.