Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Flood Risk Assessment (FRA)?
Flood Risk Assessment or Flood Consequence Assessment in Wales (also referred to as an FRA or FCA) is a report which considers the proposed use of the site and assesses the potential risk of flooding to a site from multiple sources of flooding. This allows local authorities to understand whether a development will be safe to build in its current state in relation to different types of flooding.
FRA’s/FCA’s are necessary for many different project sizes, from new home extensions to constructing multiple properties on a large piece of land. It assesses multiple sources of flooding to your existing and future development/site, whilst referencing National and Local Planning Policies.
When is a Flood Risk Assessment Required?
In England, an FRA is required when the development or site is located within an area designated as Flood Zone 2 or Flood Zone 3 according to the Environment Agency flood map for planning. An FRA is also required if the proposed site area is equal to or greater than 1 hectare in size even if it is in located in and area designated as Flood Zone 1. This is also the case if the proposed site is located within an area classified by the EA or Local Authority as a ‘Critical Drainage Area’ , an area at risk of flooding from surface water/overland flow, an area at risk of flooding from artificial sources (e.g. reservoirs) or includes a change of use in development type to a more vulnerable class (e.g. from commercial to residential). Again with all of these reasons it is not dependent upon its size.
Even with this in mind, the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) requires an FRA to be used to assess all sources of flooding. Therefore, an FRA could be requested even if your site doesn’t fit these requirements. Especially if there is a history of flooding, such as from surface water, a sewer or reservoir.
In Wales, an FCA is required as part of any planning application for developments in areas designated as Flood Zones C1 and C2. For Flood Zone B, an FCA may be required with site levels also likely to be needed and checked against extreme flood outline levels provided by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
Why are Flood Risk Assessments needed?
Flood Risk Assessments (FRAs) are usually requested to support planning applications or are often made a planning condition for a proposed development situated in a known flood zone by the Local Planning Authority (LPA).
They are required by the LPA to prove that the proposed development will not be at risk of flooding and that it will not increase the risk of flooding further downstream (i.e. areas within the locality of the proposed development).
If your proposed development is situated within a designated flood zone, it is likely that any application submitted to the LPA without an FRA/FCA will be rejected.
What is a Flood Zone?
Flood zones within England are broken up into four distinct categories:
Flood Zone 1
An area of land that is considered to be at low risk of flooding from rivers or the sea, which is defined as an area considered to have a low probability of less than 1 in 1000 (less than 0.1%) of fluvial flooding in any year.
Flood Zone 2
An area of land that is considered to be at low to medium risk of flooding from rivers or the sea, which is defined as an area considered to have a medium probability of between 1 in 1000 (0.1%) and 1 in 100 (1%) of fluvial flooding or between 1 in 200 (0.5%) and 1 in 1000 (0.1%) of tidal flooding in any year.
Flood Zone 3a
An area of land that is considered to be at high risk of flooding from rivers or the sea, which is defined as an area considered to have a high probability of greater than 1 in 100 (1%) of fluvial flooding or greater than 1 in 200 (0.5%) of tidal flooding in any year.
Flood Zone 3b (Functional Floodplain)
An area of land where water from rivers or the sea has to flow to be stored in times of flood. Considered to be at high risk of flooding from rivers or the sea with a probability of 1 in 30 (3.3%) or greater of flooding in any year.
How long does it take to prepare a Flood Risk Assessment?
The time it takes to prepare a flood risk assessment varies depending upon which flood zone it is located in. For developments located within Flood Zone 1, we aim to deliver our flood risk assessment reports promptly within 2-5 days of instruction.
However, if your development is located within Flood Zones 2 or 3 we will be required to obtain data from the Environment Agency. In this circumstance we are very much dependant upon how quickly the EA turn around our request for information, which can take up to 20 working days (4 weeks). If this is the case for your development, we aim to deliver the report 2-5 days after receiving the data.
What is included within our Flood Risk Assessments?
Each FRA report is bespoke and tailored to identify the sources of flood risk, and any mitigation measures suitable to your proposed development site. A detailed assessment of flood risk posed to the site from all sources will be provided, alongside information provided by the Environment Agency and Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFA’s)
Our engineering team has extensive experience of preparing Flood Risk Assessments for many different situations, most commonly to gain Planning approval to meet NPPF, PPS25, TAN15 guidelines. We can provide invaluable advice and guidance on flood risk at every stage of the planning process and have developed an excellent working relationship with the statutory agencies (the Environment Agency – EA, Natural Resources Wales – NRW and the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency – SEPA).
As well as the report itself we also offer guidance on how to reduce and mitigate flood risk in and around your planned development or property.
A flood evacuation plan can also be provided within the report should this be required for an additional fee.
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