FLOOD RISK ASSESSMENT
It is essential for development projects to have a flood risk assessment undertaken to ensure that flood risk mitigation risk is considered and mitigated as part of the overarching property development and drainage design.
In the UK currently, over 5 million properties and areas of land are at risk of flooding. This could be from a range of sources, and even if a property has never flooded in the past, this does not mean that it’s not at risk. In addition to this, for a property to flood, it does not need to be located near a river or the sea, or even in low-lying areas. Flooding affects properties all over the UK and in very different ways, with climate change altering weather patterns for the future, it is expected that more areas of the UK could become at risk of flooding. Flooding can come from any one or more of the following sources:
- River (fluvial)
- Groundwater
- Surface water (pluvial)
- Estuary/coastal (tidal)
- Sewers
Water is the greatest threat to the long-term viability of infrastructure and roadway networks, and if rains and stormwater are not properly drained, it may devastate the quality of any civil engineering project. While there is little that can be done to prevent rain and storms, adequate preventative measures such as drainage design and flood risk assessment can help to cope with these events as effectively as possible.
Flood Risk Assessment for Developments
Flood Risk Assessments are required under the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and the Environment Agency (EA) guidance on development and flood risk when a development is located in Flood Zone 2 or 3, a Critical Drainage Area, or the site is greater than or equal to 1 hectare in size, for sites in Flood Zone 1.
A Flood Risk Assessment is also required if the proposed development is taking place within 20 meters of an Environment Agency main river. Environment Agency activity permits will be required if the proposal includes temporary and permeant works within 8m of an EA river and 16m of a tidal EA river.
Our flood risk assessment provides a detailed analysis of multiple sources of flood risk proving specific mitigation strategies that apply to your development. It will meet the national and local planning policies and be cost effective in the mitigation of flood risk.
Flood risk assessment and drainage design are integral to successful planning applications with great emphasis on Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) for stormwater management. At SANDS our Engineers are highly experienced in developing well balanced drainage strategies and designs towards providing cost effective solutions to discharge planning conditions and meet project requirements.
SuDS design is at the core of stormwater management aiming to mimic natural performance while managing rainfall locally. We use infiltration options, attenuation systems and innovative layout arrangements to ensure maximum value is derived for the asset life.
We also produce comprehensive wastewater and foul sewer designs for efficient management of wastewater, ensuring the maximum benefit is derived from the system.
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