England · National documents
Flood risk and coastal change
Explains flood evidence, sequential and exception tests, site assessments, drainage and coastal change in planning.
AI-generated summaries of the linked official sources; not editorially reviewed. Sources and limits
Where this document applies
England: relevance depends on the proposal, site and planning process.
Flood risk and coastal change (official source, opens in a new tab) · Reference ID 7-001-20220825
Flood risk includes more than rivers and the sea
The guidance defines flood risk through both probability and consequences. It includes surface water, groundwater, sewers, reservoirs and interactions between sources, now and in the future. A river flood-zone label alone does not establish the whole flood-risk position.
Read the official source (official source, opens in a new tab) · Reference ID 7-001-20220825
Limits and checks
- This national source does not establish the local policies, designations or site facts that apply to an individual proposal.
- Some guidance predates the August 2026 Framework and may refer to earlier policy numbering. Read it with the current Framework and any applicable transition provisions.
Read alongside this document
Put the national source in your local context
Start with the exact refusal reason. Note the policy and paragraph it cites, then check your authority’s policy summary and the facts discussed in relevant appeal decisions. Each appeal turns on its own facts and does not predict another outcome.