Flood Zone 2 — an FCA is required
Planning applications must be accompanied by an FCA which clearly describes the flood risk and demonstrates that the risks are acceptable.
Flood Consequences Assessment for planning in Wales.
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Site-specific FCA reports in Wales. Free quote usually within one day.
Request a quote01 / Your project
An FCA for your project
From residential and commercial development to mixed-use schemes and conversions. The assessment considers the proposed use, its vulnerability classification and the flood risk affecting the site.
01
Residential - highly vulnerable development
Individual homes, flats and housing developments.
02
Commercial and other less vulnerable development
Business premises, community buildings and leisure proposals, including temporary and seasonal uses.
03
Conversions and mixed-use
Changes of use, flats above commercial units and similar.
02 / Flood risk
What does the flood risk
mean for your site?
An FCA assesses the risk and consequences of flooding on the development, and its impact on flood risk elsewhere. It helps establish whether those consequences can be acceptably managed over the lifetime of the development.
Explore NRW’s Flood Map for PlanningFlood Zone 3 — the strongest justification is required
Development is tightly restricted. The type of development, whether it is new development or redevelopment, and its vulnerability determine what may be appropriate.
Surface Water & Small Watercourses — Zones 2 and 3
An FCA is required where a proposal is wholly or partly within these flood zones. The assessment considers the nature and consequences of the risk and whether it can be acceptably managed.
TAN 15 Defended Zones — an FCA is required
Defences reduce flood risk but do not eliminate it. The FCA considers the protection provided, all relevant sources of flooding and residual risks such as overtopping or breach.
What the FCA establishes
The FCA considers the relevant sources of flooding, the proposed development and the consequences of flooding. Where necessary, it identifies measures needed to manage those consequences and considers flood risk elsewhere.
Read TAN 1503 / The process
The assessment process
Understand the site.
We review the sources of flooding and establish the development's vulnerability classification.
Assess the consequences.
We assess flood depths, levels, velocities and hazards as relevant, including climate change and the effect of the development on flood risk elsewhere.
Demonstrate acceptability.
We assess the results against TAN 15 acceptability criteria, including flood frequency thresholds, tolerable conditions and flood hazard, and set out any mitigation or resilience measures required.
04 / Questions
FAQ
What is a flood consequences assessment?
A Flood Consequences Assessment (FCA) is a site-specific assessment of all sources of flood risk and the consequences of flooding, used to demonstrate whether those risks and consequences can be acceptably managed over the lifetime of a development.
When do I need an FCA for planning in Wales?
An FCA is required for development in Flood Zone 2 and Flood Zone 3 and TAN 15 Defended Zones. It is also required for development within Surface Water and Small Watercourses Flood Zone 2 and 3. An assessment may be required outside these zones where development could affect the flow of surface water or water from ordinary watercourses, or where other site-specific flood risks are identified.
Can I have flats above commercial space in a flood zone?
Potentially - TAN 15 supports resilient mixed use design, with less vulnerable uses such as commercial space at ground floor and highly vulnerable uses such as residential use on upper floors. The residential use must have satisfactory access and egress during a flood, and the proposal will still need to meet the relevant TAN 15 requirements.
What do you need to prepare a quote?
A site address and location plan, a description of the proposed development (a planning statement if available), any drawings, and any comments from the local planning authority or NRW.
What do I receive?
You will receive a site-specific Flood Consequences Assessment suitable for submission with a planning application, including the assessment against TAN 15 requirements and any necessary mitigation and resilience measures.
How long does an FCA take?
We usually aim to complete the assessment within two weeks of receiving the required flood model outputs from NRW.
How much does an assessment cost?
We aim to keep FCA costs competitive and proportionate to the work required. The fee depends on the complexity of the assessment. We provide a fixed fee before any work begins.
Further guidance
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