Local authorities and partners across Greater Nottingham have been working in partnership in response to Government Guidance to commission a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) for the River Trent and its key tributaries.

Nottingham City Council, Broxtowe Borough Council, Erewash Borough Council, The Environment Agency, Gedling Borough Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Rushcliffe Borough Council, Severn Trent Water and Nottingham Regeneration Limited have worked together to identify areas liable to flood across the conurbation. The study is key to informing where and how development should take place via the forthcoming preparation of Local Development Frameworks across the conurbation. It is also important new information which will help with emergency planning across Greater Nottingham.

The Greater Nottingham SFRA is a hydraulic study of the River Trent and its main tributaries from Sawley to Burton Joyce. The SFRA was carried out across the Nottingham Housing Market Area by consultants Black and Veatch on behalf of the Greater Nottingham Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Partnership. The study uses enhanced computer modelling and sophisticated radar ground mapping to map revised flood outlines, predict flood depths and plot direction of flood flows.

The main points to note are:

• Flooding during a 1 in 100 year flood is now predicted to be more extensive in some areas than previously thought, both in terms of coverage and depth.
• Responsibility for protecting Greater Nottingham from the River Trent lies with the Environment Agency.
• The Environment Agency is half way through a programme to improve defences through the Nottingham area to a 1:100 year standard. Work is underway to design and gain planning permission, where necessary, for the Nottingham Left Bank Flood Alleviation Scheme, which could start construction as early as April 2009.
• The Environment Agency has earmarked £52m to raise the height of flood defences for this scheme.
• The work will inform more detailed Flood Risk Assessments which will continue to be required alongside planning applications to establish appropriate measures to protect specific areas or sites from the risk of flooding as highlighted in the new maps.

Councillor Alan Clark, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Regeneration at Nottingham City Council said: “The flood risk assessment has been prepared to help the Councils make well informed decisions about the location and nature of future development and to help the Environment Agency make decisions about how best to prepare for, respond to and protect against future flooding.”

“Although the report is predicting more extensive flooding in Greater Nottingham than previously identified, it makes a strong case which supports the need to implement the extensive programme of defences the Environment Agency is already working on as soon as possible.”

People can find out more information on flood risk issues, the interpretation of the SFRA, the new flood risk maps and the River Trent Left Bank Scheme by contacting the Environment Agency’s External Relations Team on 0115 846 2610 or 0115 846 3696 or visiting their Scarrington Road offices in West Bridgford.

For information relating to Local Development Frameworks, planning applications and development proposals please contact the relevant local authority planning department:

• Broxtowe Borough Council – 0115 917 7777
• Erewash Borough Council – 0845 907 2244 (Ext. 3152)
• Gedling Borough Council – 0115 901 3901
• Nottingham City Council – 0115 915 5487
• Nottinghamshire County Council – 0115 977 4545
• Rushcliffe Borough Council 0115 914 8457

A full copy of the SFRA can be viewed at the Environment Agency’s Scarrington Road offices in West Bridgford. You can also view the relevant SFRA information for each local authority at their planning department offices.