Flood Risk Assessments

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment - March 2016

The Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) March 2016, updates the previous Level 1 assessment published in 2008 using up-to-date flood risk information together with the most current flood risk and planning policy available from the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Flood Risk and Coastal Change Planning Practice Guidance (FRCC-PPG).

The aims and objectives of the SFRA are:

  • To form part of the evidence base and inform the Sustainability Appraisal for the Council’s Local Plan (Part Two) Land Allocations and Detailed Policies.
  • To make recommendations on the suitability of potential development sites based on flood risk for the Local Plan (Part Two).
  • To understand flood risk from all sources and to investigate and identify the extent and severity of flood risk throughout the borough.
  • To provide a reference document to which all parties involved in development planning and flood risk can reliably turn to for initial advice and guidance.
  • To advise on the applicability of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) for managing surface water runoff.

A suite of GeoPDF flood risk maps are provided showing the following:

  • Flood Zones
  • Historic Flooding
  • Updated Flood Map for Surface Water
  • Flood Risk Management e.g. areas benefiting from defences
  • Areas Susceptible to Ground Water Flooding
  • Risk of Flooding from Rivers and Sea
  • Indicative Areas of Critical Drainage

SFRA documents:

The index map shows a grid over the borough - individual maps are available on request (email planningpolicy@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk)

Further information

Flood Risk Assessments

PLEASE NOTE: these documents were produced during the production of the Local Plan (Part One). An updated SFRA was produced in March 2016 to inform the production of the Local Plan (Part Two).

West Cheshire Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) 2008

A SFRA was commissioned jointly by the former authority areas of Chester City Council, Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council and Vale Royal Borough Council to provide an overview of flood risk for the West Cheshire area. Three separate reports were produced for each District to provide a detailed evidence base of flood risk in these areas. The SFRA can be used to inform future planning decisions, policies, proposals and potential development sites with respect to all forms of flooding in the former Districts. This includes flooding from rivers and the sea, flooding from groundwater, land drainage, sewerage and other artificial forms of flooding.

Area Flood Risk Assessment (AFRA)

An AFRA should be carried out as the step between a SFRA and a site specific Flood Risk Assessment (FRA).

Northwich AFRA - February 2009

Northwich was identified specifically through the outcomes of the West Cheshire SFRA (2008) as an area that is both at risk of flooding and part of a large scale regeneration programme.

The report looks at the associated flood risk to the Northwich Vision proposed development sites and determines the development vulnerability to each of the sites. A guide for developers preparing site specific FRAs is also provided within the document.

Winsford AFRA – October 2012

Winsford was identified specifically through the outcomes of the West Cheshire SFRA (2008) as an area that is both at risk of flooding and part of a large scale regeneration programme. The report looks at the associated flood risk to the Winsford Regeneration Area proposed development sites and determines the development vulnerability to each of the sites.

Preliminary Flood Risk Assessment (PFRA) - November 2011

Cheshire West and Chester Borough Councils’ PFRA is a high level screening exercise to determine flood risk from local sources. These sources of flooding are from surface water, groundwater and ordinary watercourses. The PFRA gives an overview of the flood risk from local sources through a review of past flooding incidents and the predicted extents of future flooding, based on the outputs of computer models.

Water Cycle Strategy – June 2010

The Water Cycle Strategy for Cheshire West and Chester was developed in two stages: a Scoping Study and an Outline Study, both of which were prepared in accordance with the Environment Agency Water Cycle Studies guidance.

The Scoping Study collated and reviewed existing information on the water environment within the borough and identified key issues for the Outline stage. The Outline report builds on the findings of the Scoping Study and examines how water resources and water supply infrastructure, wastewater treatment, water quality, sewerage and flood risk could constrain growth across the study area.

The objectives for the Outline Water Cycle Strategy were to:

  • Identify whether environmental resources can cope with further development, with particular reference to key water legislation (such as to Water Framework Directive targets) and latest climate change projections;
  • Identify if, where, and when development might overload existing infrastructure, and if capacity exists for development without the need for additional infrastructure;
  • Identify if, where, and when new infrastructure or management interventions are needed to allow development;
  • Establish effective liaison with adjoining Growth Point areas to enable any potential cumulative impacts on the water environment to be identified;
  • Identify any potential impacts of development on the nationally and internationally designated sites of nature conservation importance within and outside the West Cheshire area (e.g. Dee Estuary, the River Dee and Bala Lake), resulting from additional abstraction and wastewater discharge; and
  • Contribute to the evidence base for Cheshire West and Chester Council’s Local Development Framework Core Strategy, the Infrastructure Plan and the Habitats Regulations Appropriate Assessment.