Flood Risk Assessment Planning Appeal

Detailed challenge to the environment agency’s flood mapping.

All the above listings can be considered within a planning appeal but of particular note is to remember that most planning appeals are handled by planning professional rather than those with an intimate knowledge of engineering principles which are the basis of flood risk assessments. So any presentation has to be compiled in such a way as to describe how planning can be achieved in terms that can be understood backed up by the technical information required.

Sufficient information to challenge the flood mapping
It has also to be remembered that unless works are done to challenge the EA flooding then the EA will purely say that this is the best there is so the Inspector will have to go with their mapping. We have experience of this and because of this we would advise clients that a case has to be prepared where they can come up with sufficient information to challenge the flood mapping in a highly technical fashion to show that the client has evidence to refute the EA stance.

Overcome the attitude of the EA
Otherwise from the start the client is on the back foot with no evidence to overcome the attitude of the EA and the Inspector will decide on EA evidence alone.

Seek agreement with the EA before the appeal
The best way is to seek agreement with the EA before the appeal is held. In one case we reached agreement on the same morning of the planning appeal. This meant that both our company and the EA were able to go to the appeal and tell the Inspector straight away that agreement had been reached.