When is a flood risk assessment required?
Planning a new development? Our team of engineers can conduct flood risk assessments and provide bespoke drainage solutions.
Planning Permission and Flood Risk Assessments
A flood risk assessment is required when a commercial or residential development is in an area that’s known to be at risk of flooding. It’s an essential component of planning permission, and failing to get a flood risk assessment (FRA) report can result in enforcement notices and difficulty selling.
An FRA report informs civil engineers how to create bespoke surface water drainage systems and strategies that minimise the risk to the property and functionally manage flood risk.
What is a flood risk assessment?
A flood risk assessment is a thorough analysis of the probability of flooding from various sources, including groundwater, rivers, and the sea, the site’s development plans, and resilience measures. They ensure that developments are safe and don’t raise the risk of flooding in the surrounding area.
A report includes the following details:
The site address and a detailed description of your development.
Details of finished floor levels and any supporting drawings.
The estimated flood level, including potential changes due to climate change.
Any flood resistance or resilience plans.
A review of local flood risk and relevant flood modelling documents.
Flood mitigation plans.
What developments require a flood risk assessment for planning permission?
Not all developments require a flood risk assessment. Those that do have been flagged as either being at risk of flooding now or in the future, and largely fall under the following categories:
- Developments in Flood Zone 1:
- With a site area of 1 hectare or more.
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- At risk of flooding from surface water.
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- Where the LPA’s Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) shows it will be at increased risk of flooding during its lifetime.
Developments in flood zones 2, 3, and 3b
- Within ‘Flood Zones plus Climate Change’ for areas at increased risk of flooding in the future.
- Areas with critical drainage problems (currently Devon and Cornwall only).
- Developments that increase the vulnerability classification and are at risk of flooding from sources other than the rivers or the sea.
- If the property has flooded in the past, or an insurance company has listed it as a flood risk.
- To obtain environmental accreditations, such as BREEAM.
You can check whether your location requires a flood risk assessment here.
What risk factors influence whether a Flood Risk Assessment is required?
Several risk factors increase the likelihood that a Flood Risk Assessment is required, including proximity to bodies of water and a development’s history of flooding.
Developments that change a building’s use from commercial to residential are more likely to require a flood risk assessment. Buildings designated for use as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) will require a stricter assessment.
High-rise buildings with four or more floors require an updated flood risk assessment every year.
To determine whether your development type requires a flood risk assessment, get in touch with the Home Engineers.
Our Flood Risk Assessment Process
Our team of specially trained engineers conduct Flood Risk Assessments across the country. We create comprehensive reports that capture every detail of your development and flooding eventualities.
FRAs that fail to capture every detail run the risk of having their planning permission rejected by the authorities, leading to timely delays.
Our reports include:
- The development’s information and full history.
- Physical risk factors such as groundwater, proximity to rivers, and surface water.
- Floor levels details and supporting drawings.
- The short and long-term risk of flooding and any mitigation plans in place.
- Sustainable Drainage Systems and Surface Water Drainage designs.
- Structural calculations and surveys.
Depending on your development type, we may require extra details to complete your assessment.
Get an FRA You Can Trust From The Home Engineers
A flood risk assessment is a crucial component of planning permission applications. Guarantee you’ve got one that you can rely on with an FRA from the Home Engineers.
Make your planning permission application smooth sailing with a Flood Risk Assessment you can rely on from the Home Engineers. If your FRA flags any issues, we can also help you with Sustainable Drainage Systems designs and help set your development up for success.
Get in touch with our team below.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, our team of engineers can create unique SuDS and Surface Water Drainage designs to suit your development and form part of your flood risk assessment. Get in touch for a quote.
The Home Engineers operate across England, with offices in Newcastle, Northumberland, London, Devon and Cornwall, and Manchester.
We provide bespoke pricing for our FRA reports, depending on the level of complexity, type of SuDS required, and the size of the development. Get in touch for a quote.
Yes. Depending on the nature of the project, failure to include a satisfactory FRA could result in your local planning authority (LPA) refusing your planning application.
Yes. Under government regulations you need a FRA for all minor developments, which includes extensions and changes of use. Although this still only applies to those in flood zones 2,3, and 3b, as well as large site areas within flood zone 1.