Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Completed

Published: Monday 28 September, 2020

Updated: Tuesday 26 April, 2022

Last updated: Thursday 23 March 2023

The Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) on Flood Risk and Coastal Change was updated in August 2022. Until the Swale SFRA (below) is updated to reflect these updates, those preparing Flood Risk Assessments (FRAs) must prepare them so the content takes full account of the August 2022 PPG requirements.

A Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) has been carried out for Swale Borough Council by JBA Consulting.

The SFRA will be used to:

• inform the plan-making process, in particular the choice of allocations, following the sequential approach
• assist Development Management decisions
• assist Developers in the preparation of Flood Risk Assessments
• help prioritise and target improvements to flood defences and prepare for flood emergencies

Where can I see the Assessment?

The main report and the Appendices can be found here:

Swale Borough Council Level 1 SFRA - Main Report (v.6, November 2020)

Appendix A - Historic Flooding (v.3, 2019)

Appendix B - Watercourses (v.3, 2019)

Appendix C - Flood Zones and Surface Water Functional Flood Zones (v.3, 2019)

Appendix D - Climate Change (v.3, 2020)

Appendix E1 - Risk of Flooding from Surface Water (v.3, 2019)

Appendix E2 -  Risk of Flooding from Surface Water Climate Change Mapping (March 2023)

Appendix F - Groundwater (v.3, 2019) (only available in PDF format)

Appendix G - Reservoir Inundation (v.3, 2019)

Appendix H.1 - Flood Defences (v.3, 2019)

Appendix H.2 - Flood Defence Types (v.3, 2019)

Appendix H.3 - Flood Defence Standard of Protection (v.3, 2019)

Appendix H.4 - Flood Defence Condition (v.3, 2019)

Appendix I - Breach Locations and Extents (v.3, 2019)

Appendix J - Flood Warning and Alert Areas (v.3, 2019)

Appendix K - Site Screening Spreadsheet (v.6, September 2022)

Appendix L - Potential areas for flood defence improvements (2020)

Interactive Mapping System

The flood zone maps, maps showing the effects of climate change and the risk of flooding from surface water maps are available on the Council’s public facing interactive mapping system, with the exception of Appendix F. (A further update will be completed w/c 27 March 2023).

North Kent Coast Updates

This Technical Note outlines the updates made to the North Kent Coast Model to reflect the latest Environment Agency guidance on extreme sea levels and climate change sea level rise allowances. Please contact the Environment Agency at kslenquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk for details on how to obtain the model data.

Environment Agency

The Environment Agency are the government’s experts on flood risk. To find out whether you are at risk of flooding, to check flood warnings and make sure you are prepared for a flood situation, please go to the Environment's Agency website.

Updated Climate Change Allowances

Since the completion of the Swale SFRA the Government, informed by the Environment Agency, have published updated guidance on climate change allowances to be used in flood risk assessments and strategic flood risk assessments.

When undertaking an FRA, please refer to the most up to date climate change allowances provided by the Environment Agency.

Risk of Flooding from Surface Water – Climate Change Allowances

In 2022 JBA Consulting updated the Environment Agency’s Risk of Flooding from Surface Water (RoFSW) mapping to include the latest peak rainfall climate change allowances. The climate change allowances to be considered for each Management Catchment within Swale are outlined below:

Medway Management Catchment: 

• 3.3% AEP plus 35% climate change allowance
• 1% AEP plus 45% climate change allowance

North Kent Management Catchment:

• 3.3% AEP plus 40% climate change allowance
• 1% AEP plus 45% climate change allowance

Stour Management Catchment:

• 3.3% AEP plus 40% climate change allowance
• 1% AEP plus 45% climate change allowance

A map of the catchments is available on the DEFRA website.

For queries about any of this information please email or call 01795 417192.