Flood Risk Assessment for Major Development

What is a Major Development and does it require a Flood Risk Assessment?

In England, any development that is located in Flood Zone 2, 3, or a Critical Drainage is required to be supported by a Flood Risk Assessment for planning.

If the site area is equal to or greater than 1ha and is located in Flood Zone 1, the development would require a flood risk assessment.

Without a Flood Risk Assessment, the whole planning application could be rejected at planning and, therefore, not validated, costing time, money, undue stress, and delay.

​Therefore, each application must be viewed individually; no application is the same.

Each assessment is different due to multiple factors, including environmental conditions, flood zones, type of development, and policy.

Read more in our article ‘Do I Need A Flood Risk Assessment For A Major Development?‘

How our team can support you

Major application developments tend to be much larger in terms of development being proposed but also geographical coverage.

This can result in a single site area consisting of multiple flood zones and sources of flood risk.

This is why it’s strongly recommended to consult with flood risk experts early on a Major Development project to understand what risks your site faces and plan where certain types of development would be best suited.

Our team has supported many major applications and developments that required Water Chapters to support Environmental Impact Assessments.

​​Our expert team has supported major applications covering residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments. We work from the concept stage through the pre-planning stages to the submission of the application and detailed designs.

We can advise on the design, layout, and arrangement of a development.

If you are proposing a major development and are unsure whether you require a flood risk assessment or which flood zone you are located in, contact one of our experts today.