A report released this week reveals that London has lost two thirds of its front gardens, equal to an area of twenty-two times the size of Hyde Park.

The loss has been mainly caused by people paving their gardens in order to park cars or to avoid gardening chores but innocent as this seems, it’s contributing to London’s flood problems.

In the report, members of the London Assembly environment committee urge the government to change planning laws to control the number of concrete-covered gardens in the capital.

Gardens play an important role in the capital’s ability to soak up rainfall. Rain not absorbed runs into underground drains, putting additional pressure on the already creaking Victorian sewerage and drainage system.

In recent years, flash floods meant tonnes of raw sewage were dumped in the Thames, which in turn led to localised flooding as rivers burst their banks.

Assembly members are also calling on the Mayor to launch a campaign to raise public awareness of the impact of paving gardens and promote environmentally friendly alternatives.

Darren Johnson, chair of the environment committee said: "There are various reasons why people choose to pave their front gardens - to park their cars, because they think ‘minimalist’ gardens are sophisticated or because they just don’t like gardening."

"Whatever the reasons, the results are the same. The increase in paved gardens is contributing to London’s flooding problems. The more paved surfaces there are, the less rainfall is soaked into the ground and the more London’s dilapidated sewerage system struggles to cope. The consequences will be dire unless action is taken to control replacing gardens with vast swathes of concrete."