Flood Risks!
24th Nov 2009
Flood risk information is often required for many types of development proposals.
The government has widely consulted upon amendments to their national policy guidance Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 25: Development Flood Risk.
The consultation process concluded this month and the government now intends to assess the responses and subsequently publish a revised version of the planning guidance by the end of this year.
The government has proposed amendments to the guidance in order to clarify certain aspects of the existing policy. Changes to the policy will incorporate the following elements:
- Amendments to the definition of Flood Zone 3b
- Amendments to the Flood Risk Vulnerability Classification (FRVC).
Flood Zone 3b The Functional Floodplain tends to be restrictive to many types of development.
A clearer description of Flood Zone 3b The Functional Floodplain has been proposed with a stronger emphasis placed upon local circumstances when identifying Flood Zone 3b in Strategic Flood Risk Assessments (SFRAs) and utilising the one in 20 annual flooding probability as a starting point for discussion in identifying the functional floodplain.
There are four proposed amendments to the Flood Risk Vulnerability Classification.
The FRVC categorises different types of land uses and developments in relation to their vulnerability to flooding. The categories are ‘less vulnerable’, ‘more vulnerable’, ‘highly vulnerable’, ‘essential infrastructure’ and ‘water-compatible development’.
The proposed amendments to the FRVC include changing the classification of water treatment and sewage treatment plants from ‘less vulnerable’ to ‘essential infrastructure’ and identifying emergency services that are not operational in times of flooding, as in the ‘less vulnerable’ category.
Further suggested amendments include the categorisation as ‘essential infrastructure’ of bulk storage facilities with port or similar facilities and installations associated with energy infrastructure which need to be located in high flood risk areas or coastal areas and require a hazardous substances consent.
The government has also proposed the inclusion of wind turbines in the ‘essential infrastructure’ category.
Although the basic policy approach is to remain unchanged, the proposed amendments will affect the interpretation of the policy and how it is applied.
The proposed changes are intended to clarify certain elements of the existing policy. This is meant to reduce the risk, for example, of land being inappropriately identified as a functional floodplain and thereby resulting in an unnecessary restriction upon commercial developments and, potentially, certain residential and community developments.
However, it is important to check PPS 25 as flood risk information is still likely to be a requirement for many development proposals.
* Louise Oakley is a planning consultant with BHP Develop. She can be contacted on 0191-221 0898.
Author: Louise Oakley, Plannign Consultant (LouiseO@bhplaw.co.uk)
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