Flood Risk Management Guidelines A look back 4 years on

Jonathan Cooper

Managing Director JBA Ireland

The Documents

Guidelines for Planning Authorities Technical Appendices

What did the guidelines set out to achieve

• Reducing future risk by better planning

• Managing existing risk through land use change

• Planning led decisions based on understanding risk

• Sustainable place making through a sequential approach to flood risk

C

O

N

S

E

Q

U

E

N

C

E

PROBABILITY

New Development

Climate Change

Asset Deterioration

Flood Alleviation Schemes.

RISK

How did the guidelines deliver this?

• Justification Test for Spatial Planning

• Justification Test for Development Management

• 3 levels of Flood Risk Assessment over 3 stages

Scales and Stages of Flood Risk Assessments

Flood Zones

Definition of Flood Zones

Zone Description

Zone A

High probability of

flooding.

This zone defines areas with the highest risk of

flooding from rivers (i.e. more than 1% probability

or more than 1 in 100) and the coast (i.e. more

than 0.5% probability or more than 1 in 200).

Zone B

Moderate probability

of flooding.

This zone defines areas with a moderate risk of

flooding from rivers (i.e. 0.1% to 1% probability or

between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000) and the coast

(i.e. 0.1% to 0.5% probability or between 1 in 200

and 1 in 1000).

Zone C

Low probability of

flooding.

This zone defines areas with a low risk of

flooding from rivers and the coast (i.e. less than

0.1% probability or less than 1 in 1000).

Classification of vulnerability of development

Vulnerability Class Land use and types of development include:

Highly vulnerable development

(including essential infrastructure)

Garda, ambulance and fire stations

Hospitals and schools;

Dwelling houses, student halls of residence and

hostels.

Less vulnerable development Buildings used for: retail, leisure, warehousing,

commercial, industrial and non-residential

institutions;

Land and building used for agriculture and

forestry;

Local transport infrastructure.

Water-compatible development Flood control infrastructure;

Amenity open space, outdoor sports and

recreation and essential facilities such as

changing rooms;

Lifeguard and coastguard stations.

Sequential Approach using probability and consequence

Justification Test – How has it been implemented Strategic Flood Risk Assessments

• SFRAs are the most important step in these guidelines

• Initially there was reticence in local planning depts

• Lack of flood maps/skills

• Kicking the can down the “planning” road

• Cl 5.27 made it clear that SFRA was needed

• Generally quality of SFRAs is approaching best practice examples;

http://www.clonmelbc.ie/media/FINAL%20SFRA.pdf

Outcomes from SFRAs

• Improving and providing flood zone maps

• PFRA outlines not adequate on their own

• Now dezoning via the JT has been straightforward

• Nearly full alignment of flood risk and land use zoning

Where the SFRA can add value

• Improve quality of FRAs locally

• Capacity building

• Setting measurable FRM objectives

• Climate change adaptation

• Scoping out issues with residual risks and how these should be managed

• More complete review of all flood risk sources

Current issues in application of guidelines

• How to fully embed SFRA into Local Plan and show flood zone maps

• Extant permissions and protecting value of land in FZ

• FRAs for infrastructure

• Still engineering a solution

– Flood Zone A can’t become Flood Zone C

– Loss of floodplain must be compensated for

• JT can’t be applied outside of the settlement boundary!!

• All development should have a FRA

Overview of the process

• Engineering function in councils overwhelmed by requests to comment on Planning Applications

• Planners should be able to screen more PAs

• Standard of FRA’s are poor, and not provided with application

• RFIs need to be pragmatic

• Council planners are now confident in saying no

• ABP Inspector generally well versed in Guidelines

• Little work for QC’s?

4 years on – Economic outlook is better, but the climate is looking more uncertain

Regeneration and flood risk

Kings Island

Flood risk brings tough choices or compromises for our communities

Some flooded Limerick homes ‘to be rebuilt on

higher ground’

Ministers visit residents of flood-hit St Mary’s

Park to assess damage

Challenges from a buoyant development market

• Guidelines are robust and have helped shaped sustainable development plans

• Extant permissions and previous value of land

• Developers still trying to engineer our way out

• Building in areas of residual risk

• Capacity in council departments and quality of consultants

Considerations for further thought

• Reporting and monitoring of flood risk metrics for new development

• Case study reviews involving ABP

• Further capacity building in local authorities

• Review of Technical Appendices on the foot of issue of CFRAM maps and national debate over response to the winter storms of 2014

• Extend guidance on SFRAs to integrate climate change adaptation plans

• Model data usage and management