Figures released to the Countryside Alliance by 17 local authorities under the Freedom of Information Act showed at least 2,735 new homes were being planned for construction on flood plains or in flood risk areas.

But Wakefield Council said none of the land allocated for new homes in the district under the current local development plan was affected by floods.

Its response to the FOI request was: "The current local development plan, the Wakefield Metropolitan District Unitary Development Plan First Alteration, makes provision to build 950 homes a year. None of the land allocated for housing is materially affected by flood plains."

The government changed planning policy in 2006 to ensure that flood risk was taken into account at all stages in the planning process to avoid inappropriate development in areas at risk of flooding, and to direct development away from areas at highest risk.

But the Countryside Alliance said the new policy did not take into account homes proposed before the changes were made.

Richard Dodd, northern regional director of the Countryside Alliance, said: "There is no point addressing the problem of affordable housing by building houses that are unsustainable because of flooding. The government needs to carry out a full audit of housing proposed for flood risk areas. The alternative is a timebomb of thousands of uninsurable homes in Yorkshire and the Humber under constant risk of flooding."