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Greater Cambridge Shared Planning

Strategic Flood Risk Assessment

An updated Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) (July, 2021) has been produced for Greater Cambridge, the area covered by Cambridge City Council and South Cambridgeshire District Council. The study assesses the flood risk from all types of flooding, currently and taking into account the predicted effects of climate change.

The study forms part of the Integrated Water Management Study being produced by consultants Stantec and will be used as an evidence base to support the development of the Greater Cambridge Local Plan. It provides guidance on applying the sequential and exception test and also provides information for developers on site specific Flood Risk Assessments (FRA) and the design of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS).

The SFRA has been prepared in line with the Government’s requirements set out in the National Planning Policy Framework, and Government Guidance on How to prepare a strategic flood risk assessment and in consultation with a range of stakeholders including the Environment Agency, Cambridgeshire County Council (Lead Local Flood Authority), internal drainage boards, parish councils, residents associations and local interest groups.

The SFRA can be viewed in the Document Library for the Greater Cambridge Local Plan (scroll to the Evidence base: climate change section). It includes:

  • a series of maps which show current flood risk areas from different sources of flooding and future flood risk areas taking into account climate change.  The maps also show the areas benefitting from defences and the indicative functional floodplain.
  • a supporting report which provides information on policy and technical updates, data sources, historic flooding incidents, areas of uncertainty, flood risk management infrastructure, climate change, surface water management, flood warning and emergency planning.  Also guidance on applying the Sequential and Exception Test, and for site-specific flood risk assessments.

Please note that the SFRA is based on the data available at the time of its production. The Environment Agency update their information on a regular basis. For the latest flooding maps please view those on the Environment Agency website.

Further guidance on flooding and drainage issues is also provided in the adopted Cambridgeshire Flood and Water SPD.

Emerging plans and guidance