Managing development and building works

As the Lead Local Flood Authority and as the Local Planning Authority, we have a range of duties and powers to help prevent and manage flooding within the borough.  Some of those duties affect building and development within the borough.

Power to do works

We have powers to do works to manage flood risk from surface runoff and groundwater. All works must be consistent with our local flood risk management strategy.

Flooding and planning policy

Through the development management process, we ensure that developers assess flood risk for their schemes and that the Environment Agency is consulted on planning applications in areas of flood risk.

Planning policy guidance is set out in our Core Strategy (Policy DM4 ‘Water Management and Flood Risk’). This ensures that inappropriate new developments are prevented in flood risk areas and that any proposed development is directed away from areas that are at higher risk. 

You can read our Core Strategy online.