Flood Emergency Plan (FEP)

Flood Emergency Plans

From creating a riverside block of flats or converting a basement into habitable space to designing a care home in a low-lying area, developments can be threatened by the risk of flooding. Any planning project within flood zones 2 or 3 or with vulnerable occupants will need the right plans in place as a way of working out the chances of flooding happening on the site.

A flood risk assessment (FRA) is usually the first step, and it could be followed by flood modelling if needed, before moving on to putting together a flood emergency plan (FEP). While an FRA outlines the likelihood and extent of flooding and flood modelling gives an accurate representation of how flooding would happen, an FEP maps out how exactly people will be kept safe in the case of a flooding event.

With a flood emergency plan, developers can show the local planning authorities that flood safety has been carefully considered and worked into their development plans. It also offers other benefits to developers, such as demonstrating compliance and getting planning permission granted.

What is a Flood Emergency Plan?

A flood emergency plan (FEP) is a site-specific document that supports planning by explaining how individuals in a chosen location will evacuate safely, receive warnings, respond to flooding and recover from a flood. In an FEP, the main components would be a flood warning procedure known as a Flood Warning Plan, an evacuation strategy known as a Flood Evacuation Plan and the on-site response actions in the form of a Flood Emergency Response Plan.

In any developments that could be affected by a risk of flooding, a plan would be submitted alongside a prior flood risk assessment (FRA) and reflect up-to-date Environment Agency (EA) guidance, Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) recommendations and site conditions, giving the local authorities everything needed to ease any qualms and meet planning requirements.

Related Plans and Assessments

Possible Reasons for a Plan

• Conversions of Commercial to Residential Use in Flood Risk Areas
• Developments Within Flood Zone 2 or 3
• New Residential Use in Basements or Ground Floors
• Planning Conditions or Planning Objections from the EA or LLFA
• Vulnerable End Users (Care Homes, Healthcare Facilities, Schools, etc)

Clients Requiring a Plan

Considerations Within an FEP

Whenever an emergency flood plan is created, it is bespoke to the purpose of the development, the requirements of the developer, the profile of the site, and the predicted nature of the site’s future users.

Each Part of a Flood Emergency Plan

Site Flood Risk Assessment

Using data from the Environment Agency (EA) and local authorities to summarise the site’s flood risk. Such data could include depth, speed and variation of flooding, flood zones and climate change allowances, historic flood records and surface water overlays.

Flood Warning and Alert Procedures

Creating a flood warning plan using the EA’s flood warning service, action thresholds for alert, severe warnings, internal protocols to initiate safety actions, and notification flow of who, when and how users of the site are alerted.

Emergency Response Actions

Creating a flood emergency response plan using coordination with the emergency services, responsibilities for building managers, staff and wardens, securing utilities and critical assets, and night-time and out-of-hours procedures.

Flood Evacuation Plan

Creating a flood evacuation plan using the evacuation needs of vulnerable persons, location of refuge areas and rest centres, safe routes to leave the building or site, and timeframes aligned with flood warning lead times.

Communication and Contact List

Listing the contact list and methods of communication, such as the key contact information for the emergency services and site staff, the utilities and internal call trees for residents and occupants, and the suggested site signage and emergency instruction posters.

Post-Flood Recovery Plan

Creating a post-flood recovery plan including damage inspection, post-event debrief and update to the FEP, reoccupation protocol, safety checks and utility restoration.

Ask For a Flood Emergency Plan

If your development is within or near a flood-prone area, submitting a clear and compliant flood emergency plan (FEP) could be the difference between planning approval and rejection.

Every FEP we produce is tailored to the needs of the developer and the site, satisfying the needs of both planning officers and safety assessors.

It could be that you want an FEP as a condition of planning permission or as a precautionary safety measure. Whatever the situation, our team will help you with a comprehensive plan and remain by your side from start to finish.

Our Flood Consultants

With experience preparing flood emergency plans for commercial, residential and institutional schemes across the UK, our consultants are perfectly placed to help you with your development. Each flood risk consultant has a combination of expertise in creating FEPs and working within relevant planning policy, giving you everything you need to get the type of documentation that will guide your plans.

As soon as you instruct our team to help you, one of our consultants will work closely with you to guarantee that delivery is compliant, smooth and aligned with your timelines. We’ve worked with architects, developers, planning consultants and more, and our wealth of experience gives us everything we need to know about EA, LLFA and LPA requirements, integrating an FEP into the development scheme alongside any necessary evacuation strategies and warning systems.

Get in Touch for a Quote

We are here to move your planning project forward and account for any potential issues caused by even the slimmest chances of flood risk.

You can even ask for a free quote for a flood emergency plan on your development site by contacting Arbtech directly. Either complete the quote form at the top of this page, visit our contact page, email or phone us, and as long as you give us accurate information about your plans, we will be able to price up just how much everything would cost.