Flood Risk Assessment
What information should I supply
in a flood risk assessment?
The flood risk
assessment should identify and assess the risks of all forms of
flooding to and from
the development and demonstrate how these flood risks will be
managed, taking climate change
into account. For major developments in Flood Zone 1, the FRA
should identify opportunities to
reduce the probability and consequences of flooding. The
assessment should contain a
sequential testing statement, where the applicant advises
whether the development can be
accommodated in other (sequentially preferable) zones of lower
flood risk.
The flood risk
assessment should identify the following:-
Within Flood
Zone 1 - Low Probability
- Existing flood risk to the site from
localised sources & impact of development upon run off
rates
- Design measures proposed to mitigate run
off rates (SUDS)
Within Zone
2 - Medium Probability
- Existing flood risk to the site from all
sources & potential impact of development upon flood
risk only (High level assessment only)
- Design measures proposed to mitigate risk
of flooding, and their impact (details should
include floor levels, ground levels, evacuation routes, SUDS)
Within Zone 3 - High Probability
(and Functional Floodplain)
- Sequential test required for windfall
sites
- Existing flood risk to the site from
all sources (e.g. flood depth, flow routes, flood velocity,
defence failure)
- Potential impact of development upon flood
risk
- Design measures proposed to mitigate risk
of flooding, and their impact (details should
include floor levels, ground levels, evacuation routes, SUDS
etc)
The FRA should
be prepared by a developer in consultation with the Local Planning
Authority. The
FRA should form part of an
Environmental Statement when one is required by
the Town and Country
Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) (England and Wales)
Regulations 1999 as amended.
Note- applications for development in areas
at risk of flooding which do not include a satisfactory
FRA will not be treated as a valid planning application.
When is a flood risk assessment
required?
Planning applications for development
proposals of 1 hectare or greater in Flood Zone 1 and all
proposals for new development located in Flood Zones 2 and 3 should
be accompanied by a Flood
Risk Assessment (FRA). Access to the
flood maps is available to help you check if your
application
site falls within a flood zone.
Further Guidance On Flooding