Policy information sourced from the Barking & Dagenham Local Plan
DMSI 6 Flood risk and defences
Flood risk
1.
Development should seek to deliver a neutral impact or reduction in flood risk from any source, on and off-site, by demonstrably giving sufficient consideration from the outset of the design, and during pre-application discussions with the Environment Agency (EA) and Thames Water and the Council.
2.
Development is required to undertake Flood Risk Assessments for schemes meeting the thresholds set out in DEFRA and EA guidance. Developments should adapt to climate change by planning for future flood risk. If a site is not currently shown to be within Flood Zone 2 or 3, but detailed modelling from the Environment Agency shows it is expected to be impacted once climate change is assessed, then the same design considerations should be applied as if it was within the present-day Flood Zone.
3.
Development proposals must comply with flood risk policy as set out in national policy and guidance.
4.
All development within sites at risk of flooding should be guided towards areas of lowest risk within the site and development should be designed in strict accordance with the Development Control recommendations set out in Section 7 of the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) Level 1 Report.
5.
Basements, and any development not classified as water compatible, are not considered appropriate in Flood Zone 3b, and there are restrictions on their use and design within Flood Zones 2 and 3a with the Development Control recommendations set out in Section 7 of the SFRA Level 1 Report.
Flood defences
6.
Development proposals along the Thames and tidal River Roding will be expected to:
- maintain, repair, enhance or replace flood defence walls, banks and flood control structures to provide adequate protection for the lifetime of the development
- protect land adjacent to, and set buildings back from, flood defences to allow future replacement of defences and provision of public amenity and biodiversity, having regard to the Thames Estuary 2100 Plan
- seek opportunities to raise existing tidal flood defences having regard to the required levels in the Thames Estuary 2100 Plan (or updated equivalent) in preparation for future climate change impacts, or demonstrate how defences can be raised to the required levels in the future through submission of plans and cross-sections of the proposed raising
- demonstrate the provision of improved access to existing defences, or where opportunities exist to realign or set back defences
- provide landscape, amenity and habitat improvements, where appropriate, in line with the riverside strategy approach
- safeguard land for future defence raising
- secure financial contributions from partners in order to enable flood defence works.
7.
Where appropriate the Council will require proposals to include a condition survey of existing flood defences and watercourse infrastructure to demonstrate that it will adequately function for the lifetime of the development, and if necessary, make provision for repairs or improvements or replacement.
For more information please see the Barking & Dagenham Local Plan