What is a flood risk assessment?
A flood risk assessment assesses the risk of flooding from all sources and ensures your development follows the relevant guidelines in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
How is flood risk assessed?
I assess the risk of flooding from all sources. Flood risk doesn’t just come from rivers and the sea – it can also come from rainfall on the ground surface, rising groundwater, overwhelmed sewers and drainage systems, as well as from reservoirs, canals and lakes and other artificial sources.
Why are they required?
If your development is in zones 2 or 3 of the Environment Agency flood map, you’ll need to know exactly what the risks are. As part of the flood risk assessment, I provide advice on Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) which will ensure you meet the Environment Agency’s best practice. Every bit of hard landscaping can add to the increasing likelihood of flooding over the coming years, so adopting SUDS makes sense even if your development isn’t at risk.
What else you might want to know…
I know the NPPF inside out, and I’m always happy to share my knowledge of the issues and risks. I’d be very happy to help.
