Description: The effects of climate change, population growth and demographic changes mean that major flooding events are likely to become more frequent in the UK. The impacts of flooding can be devastating in terms of the cost of repairs, replacement of damaged property, loss of business and considerable personal trauma.

Planning authorities, developers and the construction industry need to consider flooding risk as a material planning issue, not merely in obvious flood plain areas, but in a wide range of locations. For development to be sustainable, planners and the construction industry have to be able to assess flood risk.

This book sets out practical guidance in assessing flood risk as part of the development process. It describes the mechanisms and impacts of flooding, whether caused by rivers, the sea, estuaries, groundwater, overland flow, artificial drainage systems or infrastructure failure. The guidance recommends a tiered approach to flood risk assessment and provides a simple-to-use toolkit to help practitioners complete the assessments. It covers UK planning policy guidance for development and flood risk and is aimed at achieving a consistent approach to the implementation of that guidance, which in turn should allow developments to be planned and designed more efficiently.

This guidance will be of value to developers, builders, designers and planners. The book also contains much useful background information for insurers, mortgage lenders, building owners and occupiers, and others involved in the development process.

Keywords: rivers and waterways, coastal and marine, sustainable construction, land use planning, housing, flooding

Contents: Summary, Acknowledgements, List of figures, List of tables, List of boxes, Glossary, Abbreviations, 1 Introduction, 1.1 Flood risk and the construction industry, 1.2 Objectives of this report, 1.3 Limitations of this report, 1.4 Structure of the report, 1.5 Related CIRIA guidance, Part I Introduction to flood risk and development, 2 Flooding - causes and mechanisms, 2.1 What is flood risk?, 2.2 Types of flooding, 2.3 The impact of climate change on flood risk, 3 Developments and flooding, 3.1 Types of development, 3.2 The impact of flooding on development, 3.3 The impact of development on flood risk, Part II Flood risk assessment, 4 Flood risk assessment within the planning process, 4.1 Introduction, 4.2 Flood risk and planning, 4.3 Parties to flood risk and planning, 4.4 The role of the local planning authority in managing flood risk, 4.5 The role of the developer in managing flood risk, 4.6 The role of the flood defence agencies and other bodies, 5 Flood risk assessment, 5.1 Introduction, 5.2 Flood risk and sustainable development, 5.3 Flood risk assessment methodology, Part III Flood risk assessment toolkit, 6 Flood risk assessment toolkit, 6.1 Level 1 flood risk assessment, 6.2 Level 2 flood risk assessment, 6.3 Level 3 flood risk assessment, Part IV Appendices, A1 National arrangements for the control of development and flood risk, A1.1 England, A1.2 Wales, A1.3 Scotland, A1.4 Northern Ireland, A2 Technical guidance on flood risk assessment, A2.1 Level 1 flood risk assessment, A2.2 Level 2 flood risk assessment, A2.3 Level 3 flood risk assessment, A3 Mitigation measures for flood risk management, A3.1 Mitigation measures for flood risk management, A3.2 Key design considerations, A3.3 Flood risk mitigation measures, A4 Professional institutions, A5 Summary risk register, References