MP says reintroducing beavers could combat flooding
Beavers should be reintroduced in Leicestershire to combat flooding in the area, an MP has said.
Alberto Costa, who represents South Leicestershire, claims dams built by the creatures "help reduce water flow and flood risk".
His comments came after hundreds of homes were flooded and a major incident declared in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland on 6 January.
In Costa's constituency, schools, a church, new social housing and whole villages were "submerged", the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.
Some areas almost turned into "islands", the MP said in a letter to flooding minister Emma Hardy.
According to the LDRS, Costa said the reintroduction of beavers would need to be done in collaboration with local farmers to ensure risk to land is minimised.
He also suggested changes be made to the planning system and called on the government to start making the "necessary reforms and changes to protect our constituents and communities".
"We cannot continue building on flood zones 1 (the most at risk areas for flooding), we need to maintain these protections," Costa added.
"We also need to rethink the types of of homes we build to ensure they can withstand flooding."
Ben Devine, head of nature recovery at Leicestershire & Rutland Wildlife Trust, said beavers were once widespread across the country and "played a crucial role in our wetland landscapes until they were hunted to extinction in the 16th Century".
He called them "nature's finest wetland engineers" and said they helped "create habitats that benefit other wildlife".
Mr Devine added: "Research by the University of Exeter and Devon Wildlife Trust based on a ten-year study of wild-living beavers in Devon shows that the animals are having a positive impact on flood and drought alleviation.
"The Wildlife Trusts are committed to working with communities and authorities at catchment scale ensuring robust feasibility and consultation to support successful wild beaver releases across England and Wales."
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has been approached for comment.
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