The Necessity of Flood Risk Assessment, Oxford

1. The Necessity of Flood Risk Assessment, Oxford Isn't it frustrating to wait for validation from the government after submitting your building plan? Sometimes things take an unexpected turn and make the wait longer when you have to submit an FRA. If this has ever happened to you, you would know the frustration of the situation.

2. Flood Risk Assessment or FRA is an effective way to measure the chances of flood in the area where you are constructing your building. Keep reading to learn about Flood Risk Assessment and its necessity in Oxford. What is Flood Risk Assessment? Flood Risk Assessment is a document that you have to submit along with the building proposal. That document will have all the information about the chances of a flood in the area. It considers all sources of flood such as groundwater, rivers, estuary, sewage, and surface water. With an FRA, even before the plan's approval, engineers get an insight into how to structure the development. Do you need an FRA? Even when FRA is a beneficial document, every development proposal does not require an FRA. According to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Environment Agency (EA), only developments at specific locations have to do an FRA. Those areas are: •Flood Zone 2 •Flood Zone 3 •Critical Drainage area •Site greater than or equal to 1 hectare in Flood Zone 1. •Locations within 20m radius of EA River So if you are planning for a commercial or residential building in the area mentioned above, you would require an FRA. And in addition to FRA, you should take permission from EA if your development is within 8m of an EA river and 16m EA coastal area. How to know if you need an FRA? Now you know how essential it is to have an FRA and which type of locations demand an FRA. The subsequent procedure is to check if your site belongs to any of the risky zones. And for that, you should check two maps.

3. Flood Map for Planning: It has the mapping of areas that are at risk of flood according to the NPPF and EA. Click the link to find the map: https://flood-map-for-planning.service.gov.uk/ Long Term Flood Risk Map for England: It shows the flood intensity due to a nearby river or sea. It also shows locations that are prone to or hit by surface water and reservoir flooding. Click the link to find the map: https://flood-warning-information.service.gov.uk/long-term-flood-risk/map Before confirming the location for construction, check both the maps and understand your zone. That will help you know if your area requires an FRA. Conclusion As Oxford is a city with a long history of flood damages, many parts of the city require an FRA. And with a Flood Risk Assessment Oxford comes the necessity to be conscious of flood and water damage. However, if you have a plan to overcome the risk, you won't have to worry about the damages. Visit SOLID structures and infrastructure to get the most efficient plans for building in a flood risk area. Source: https://solidengineeringdesignfirm.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-necessity- of-flood-risk-assessment.html