A Conservative MP is calling on Labour to back a private member's bill that would let farmers dig small ponds without planning permission, arguing this could help England withstand both droughts and winter flooding. Rebecca Smith, MP for South West Devon, says pond creation currently risks being classed as engineering or mining work requiring council approval, causing delays that discourage farmers from building the natural flood defences and drought buffers ponds provide. The proposal follows the UK's hottest summer on record, which brought wildfires, water restrictions and widespread drought declarations.

Smith's bill, due to be introduced tomorrow, would grant "presumed consent" for ponds with a surface area under 0.2 hectares, roughly a third of a football pitch. She cites Natural England figures showing two-thirds of ponds in England and Wales have disappeared since the late 19th century due to urbanisation and changing farming practices. Met Office data shows summer 2026 averaged 16.5C, the warmest since 1884, while England recorded its driest July on record with just 7mm of rainfall, 10% of the long-term average.