PLANNING FOR FLOOD RISK IN THE FENS

The fens of eastern England rely on flood defences for their existence, and planning for flood risk has always had a high priority. A new focus was given with the issue of Planning Policy Guidance 25, and this paper presents experience from a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment of South Holland District, in Lincolnshire. The assessment pioneered the examination of fenland flood risk in terms of risk zones related to flood hazard and standard of protection. Methods for evaluating the risk zones are described; they consider flooding from embanked rivers which are subject to tide locking, internal drainage systems, tide level and wave action. The methods would be appropriate for many lowland areas of the UK where conventional flood analysis cannot be used.