Development and Flood Risk
Summary
The misery, loss and damage that can accompany floods can be avoided if homes, offices and factories are located and designed to avoid, or at least reduce, the risk of damage from flooding.
Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) in England have to consult us on most development proposals at risk from flooding. Planning Policy Statement 25 ‘Development and Flood Risk’ and its associated Practice Guide set out Government policy and advice on the subject.
We provide technical advice to LPAs and developers on how best to avoid, manage and reduce the adverse impacts of flooding. When commenting on spatial plans and sustainability appraisals, we aim to ensure they are ‘sound’ by encouraging decision-makers to:
- carry out Regional and Strategic assessments of flood risk as part of sustainability appraisal
- include suitable flood risk objectives and indicators
- correctly apply the sequential test – steering new development to the lowest risk flood zone appropriate to the proposed use – and the exception test
- reduce flood risk through making space for water
- when climate change is expected to mean that some existing development may not be sustainable in the long-term, use regeneration to help relocate existing development to lower risk locations, and
- include policies that reflect PPS25’s Key Planning Objectives.
We may object to planning applications on the following grounds:
- the proposed development is not consistent with Government Planning Policy
- lack of evidence that the sequential test and (where needed) the exception test have been applied correctly
- it is not supported by a flood risk assessment
- the flood risk assessment does not demonstrate that the development and its occupants/users will be safe for the lifetime of the development, does not increase flood risk elsewhere and does not seek to reduce risk overall
The LPA is the final decision-maker, but if it grants permission for a major development which we have advised against, it has to notify the Secretary of State. This 'Call-in' direction should encourage LPAs to follow our advice.
Local Planning Authorities in Wales are advised to consult the Environment Agency on development proposals that are at risk from flooding through Technical Advice Note 15.
- High Level Target 5: Development and Flood Risk in England 2006-07
High Level Target 5 report - Development and Flood Risk 2006/06. A downloadable version of our most recent report and its appendices. -
Development and the floodplain - PPS25 fact sheet (Acrobat, 288KB, 30 seconds)
An overview of working with the Environment Agency when following PPS25.
Will development near you increase the likelihood of flooding?
Find out if we're objecting to applications for planning permission for major developments in your area. You can contact your local authority to voice your concern if you wish.
We object to developments that could be at risk of flooding themselves, or are likely to increase flood risk elsewhere. We also object where a more detailed assessment of flood risk needs to be carried out.
Please note that our initial objections can be overcome and may, therefore, be withdrawn if appropriate information is provided to us or developers change their schemes to address our concerns. Any comments on these reports should be sent to mike.j.armstrong@environment-agency.gov.uk
For Local Authorities monitoring the implementation of their Local Development Framework, we have compiled a list of all objections lodged by the Environment Agency during 2006/07, on either water quality or flood risk grounds (major and minor development). To see this information follow the link at the end of the page.
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July 2008 Flood Risk Objections (MS Word, 570KB, 1min)
Planning applications that the Environment Agency has objected to between 1st and 31st July 2008 on Flood Risk grounds. -
June 2008 Flood Risk Objections (MS Word, 544KB, 30 secs)
Planning applications that the Environment Agency has objected to between 1st and 30th June 2008 on Flood Risk grounds. -
May 2008 Flood Risk Objections (MS Word, 630KB, 5 mins)
Planning applications that the Environment Agency has objected to between 1st and 31th May 2008 on Flood Risk grounds. - Monitoring Data for Local Planning Authorities: a list of all objections lodged by the Environment Agency during 2006/07
