Below are some answers to some questions that H2OK are asked about Flood Risk Assessments
What is a Flood Risk Assessment?
When do I need a Flood Risk Assessment?
Why do I need a Flood Risk Assessment?
How long does it take to produce a Flood Risk
Assessment?
What stage of the Planning Process do I need a Flood
Risk Assessment?
What is PPS 25?
Is there a set of minimum standards for Flood Risk
Assessments?
What is the Sequential Test?
Who carries out the Sequential Test?
What is the Exception Test?
What are the Flood Zones?
How do I find out if I am located within a Flood Zone?
What is a Flood Risk Assessment?
A Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) is a report that
is produced to accompany a planning application where
either the site is at possible risk of flooding or the
scale of the development poses a risk to downstream
sites as a result of increased rainfall running off the
site.
When do I need a Flood Risk Assessment?
Any site situated within an identified flood
risk zone will require a FRA to support a planning
application made for that site. To find out if your site
is within a flood risk zone, email the address of your
site to floodrisk@h2ok.co.uk or contact us by telephone
or post.
All large developments greater than 1 Hectare in size
will require a Flood Risk Assessment to show that other
sites downstream will not be adversely affected from the
proposed development.
This will usually take the form of providing a
Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) to ensure
surface water from the new development is disposed of
appropriately.
Why do I need a Flood Risk Assessment?
Planning Policy Statement 25 (PPS 25) ‘Development &
Flood Risk’ requires certain developments to provide a
Flood Risk Assessment as part of the planning
application process.
Under PPS 25 it is mandatory for the Local Planning
Authority to consult the Environment Agency (EA) when
considering a planning application which is located in a
flood zone or is over 1 hectare in size. In order to do
this they will require a Flood Risk Assessment.
A Flood Risk Assessment can allay fears and will provide
a suitable mitigation strategy to ensure your property
is protected to the best possible standard.
How long does it take to produce a Flood Risk
Assessment?
A typical turnaround time for producing a FRA report is
3 weeks from initial correspondence to issue of the
final report. Larger projects which require more
detailed design of the SUDS system may take longer to
produce.
If time constraints are tight please contact us to
discuss any deadlines associated with your project. H2OK
has the resources to be able to offer a rapid turnaround
to ensure you meet your planning deadlines.
What stage of the Planning Process do I need
a Flood Risk Assessment?
A Flood Risk Assessment will be required for when the
planning application is submitted. It is important to
seek advice on flood risk at the conception of the
development proposals as flooding issues could be
restrictive in terms of developable area.
Significant cost savings are available by considering
flood risk at the beginning of the project as there will
be less abortive development design and costs associated
with planning delays.
What is PPS 25?
Planning Policy Statement 25 (PPS 25) ‘Development &
Flood Risk’ is one of the Planning Policy Statements
that set out the Government’s national policies on
different aspects of land use planning in England.
The general aim of PPS 25 is to ensure that flood risk
is 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.
PPS 25 is available to download at
Is there a set of minimum standards for Flood
Risk Assessments?
Yes, these standards can be found within Planning Policy
Statement 25 (PPS 25) ‘Development & Flood Risk’. Annex
E of this document outlines the principals that need to
be considered when producing a site specific Flood Risk
Assessment. The Environment Agency also offer advice on
expected FRA content and is available at their standing
advice pages
http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/planning/82584.aspx
What is the Sequential Test?
The Sequential Test is a risk based process outlined in
PPS 25 which should be applied at all stages of
planning. Its aim is to steer new development to areas
at the lowest probability of flooding.
Only where there are no reasonably available sites in
Flood Zones 1 or 2 should decision makers consider the
suitability of sites in Flood Zone 3, taking into
account the flood risk vulnerability of land uses and
applying the Exception Test if required.
More information regarding the Sequential Test can be
found within Annex D of PPS 25 available at
Who carries out the Sequential Test?
It is the responsibility of the Local Planning Authority
(LPA) to perform the sequential test. However there is a
mechanism incorporated within PPS 25 Practice Guide that
allows the LPA to request that details of the sequential
test are to be supplied by the developer.
H2OK have produced numerous Sequential test reports on
behalf of developers. These reports are then submitted
to the planning authority to enable them to determine
whether the site would pass or fail the sequential test.
What is the Exception Test?
The Exception Test may be required when a site has been
found to pass the Sequential Test but due to the
vulnerability of the proposed development wider
considerations need to be addressed before the
development may be considered appropriate.
To satisfy the Exception Test it must be demonstrated
that the site offers wider sustainability benefits, is
located on previously developed land and the development
is considered to be safe over the lifetime of the
development.
What are the Flood Zones?
The Flood Zones refer to the probability of river and
sea flooding, ignoring the presence of defences.
The Flood Zones are split into 4 probability classes, 1,
2, 3a and 3b. The table below summarises the annual
probability of flooding for each of the Flood Zones.
If your site is at medium/high risk of flooding or is
over 1 Ha in size, a Flood Risk Assessment will be
required to support your planning application.
How do I find out if I am located within a Flood Zone?
You can find out if you are in a flood zone by going to the Environment Agency’s website and enter your postcode.
