Need a Flood Risk Assessment?
Use RenKap
Simply upload your site on the RenKap platform to:
- Reduce your management time by 90%
- Instantly receive a minimum of 3 quotes from our vetted suppliers
- Receive one digital dashboard with survey recommendations
- Quality reports every time guaranteed
Need a Flood Risk Assessment?
Use RenKap
Simply upload your site on the RenKap platform to:
- Reduce your management time by 90%
- Instantly receive a minimum of 3 quotes from our vetted suppliers
- Receive one digital dashboard with survey recommendations
- Quality reports every time guaranteed
The only site investigation checklist you need
Download our site investigation checklist, which covers the 13 site investigation surveys you need to complete on every site. This includes a rundown of why you need each of them and at what stage throughout the project lifecycle.
What is a flood risk assessment?
A flood risk assessment gives you a detailed look into your development site and surrounding area, as well as recommendations for how to mitigate the impact of fooding. Developers need to take into account food risks when planning their new development to not only determine if the development is sustainable, but also understand how this afects the environment and if it increases food risk. It’s best
to carry out a food risk assessment early to avoid additional costs.
Why is a flood risk assessment important?
As we know, the risk of flooding is increasing and the number of properties and areas at risk of flooding is also increasing. To avoid possible delays in your development and to satisfy the local planning authority, you will need to prove that your development will not increase the risk of flooding to the local area an additionally that your development will be protected from the risk of flooding.
When is a flood risk assessment required?
A flood risk assessment is required on developments with the following characteristics:
- Sites in flood zone 2 or 3 including minor developments and projects with change of use.
- Sites which are greater than 1 hectare in size within flood zone 1
- Sites which are smaller than 1 hectare in size but where there is a change of use to a more vulnerable class (such as from commercial to residential), where the site could be affected by flooding risks other than from rivers and the sea (for example surface water drains or reservoirs).
- In an area within flood zone 1 which has critical drainage problems as notified by the Environmental Agency.
Due to the complexity we would recommend that you complete a flood risk assessment on every development.
What should be included in a flood risk assessment?
The following should be included in your flood risk assessment:
- Your site address
- A description of your development.
- An assessment of the flood risk from all sources of flooding for your development, plus an allowance for climate change.
- The flood zone of your site
- The estimated flood level for your development.
- Details of flood resistance and resilience options
How long does it take to complete a flood risk assessment?
The time to complete will depend on the size and complexity of the development, though typically, a flood risk assessment survey takes around 21 days to complete.
What are the flood zones?
The flood zones refer to the probability of river and sea flooding. They are shown on the Environmental Agency’s Flood Map for Planning. You can use this link to identify the flood zone of your site.
Flood Zone 1:
Low Probability
Land that has less than 1 in 1,000 annual probability of river or sea flooding
Flood Zone 2:
Medium Probability
Land that has between a 1 in 100 and a 1 in 1,000 probability of river flooding; or land that has between a 1 in 200 and a 1 in 1,000 annual probability of sea flooding.
Flood Zone 3a:
High Probability
Land that has a 1 in 100 or greater probability of river flooding; or land that has 1 in 200 or greater annual probability of sea flooding.
Flood Zone 3b:
The Functional Floodplain
This area consists of land where water has to flow or has to be stored in times of flood.
What are the key pieces of information that surveyors need from a client to complete an ecology survey?
The key pieces of information would include:
- Site location
- Redline boundary (the perimeter of the site boundary)
- A scope of survey (i.e. a brief of exactly what they need to include)
- Development proposals including is there a change of use?
What are the key items that would affect the cost of a flood risk assessment?
The main factor would be the complexity of the site. For example are there many individual property leases and multiple use classes across the site?
How to identify competent flood risk assessment surveyors?
As a minimum they should:
- Abide by the construction, Design and Management Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015)
- Abide by the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- Have an appropriate level of professional indemnity insurance (Ideally more than £5m)
- Have an internal quality assurance procedure
- Have suitably trained and quality staff
The RenKap platform has already pre-vetted the best UK suppliers so you don’t have to.
The only site investigation checklist you need
Download our site investigation checklist, which covers the 13 site investigation surveys you need to complete on every site. This includes a rundown of why you need each of them and at what stage throughout the project lifecycle.