District flood risk

We commissioned consultants to undertake a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) for the district excluding the Didcot area which is covered by a separate assessment the Didcot Strategic Flood risk Assessment. The Environment Agency supported the assessment by monitoring the methods used and checking the model results.  The assessment is part of government policy for planning authorities contained in Planning Policy Statement 25: Development and Flood Risk (PPS25).  The work was carried out jointly with the Vale of White Horse District Council and the report covers both districts.

We consider flood risk when preparing planning policies and direct development away from areas at highest risk of flooding as well as avoid inappropriate development in areas at some risk of flooding.

The assessment identifies areas that may be at flood risk. Taking account of climate change, it details factors that may influence the risk and identifies what development may be suitable for different areas of land. 

The maps that result from the assessment show flood zones 2 and 3.

Flood zone 2 is the medium probability flood risk area that has between a I in  100 and 1 in 1000 year annual probability of flooding (1% - 0.1%) in any year.  Flood zone 3 is the high probability flood risk area that has a 1 in 100 or greater annual probability of flooding (>1%) in any year.

Where existing properties fall within one of the flood zones owners may wish to consult the Environment Agency-s Flood Map website, which gives advice on how to prepare for flooding.

Only rivers and streams that flow through our towns and larger villages, where significant amounts of change may happen, were assessed in detail to help guide decisions about future development.  The report idenfies the sources of data and gives advice to us as local planning authority about how to consider proposals in different areas.  In addition it provides advice for developers and landowners about  how potential development on different areas of land should have regard to flood risk. 

You can read the report and view the maps by following the links below:

• Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Level 1 & 2 Report (2.7 MB)
• Appendix A Historic flooding records & Appendix B Modelling undertaken at level 1 (1.1 MB)
• Appendix C2.1 - C2.14 Flood risk to key settlements SODC (3.1 MB)
• Appendix C2.15 - C2.27 Flood risk to key settlements SODC (3.9 MB)
• Appendix C3.1 - C3.14 Flood risk to key settlements VOWH (3.1 MB)
• Appendix D Environment agency supplied data; Appendix E Method statement for level 2 flood & hazard mapping; Appendix F Level 2 flood estimation and modelling documentation (308.6 KB)
• Map 1 Study Area Overview (5.1 MB)
• Map 2.1 Historic Flooding SODC (4.4 MB)
• Map 2.2 Historic Flooding VOWH (3.8 MB)
• Map 3.1 Flood Zone 2 & 3 SODC (4.5 MB)
• Map 3.2 Flood Zone 2 & 3 VOWH (3.8 MB)
• Map 4.1 Sewer flooding SODC (4.4 MB)
• Map 4.2 Sewer flooding VOWH (3.8 MB)
• Map 5.1 Surface water drainage SODC (4.7 MB)
• Map 5.2 Surface water drainage VOWH (3.9 MB)
• Map 6.1 Groundwater flood risk SODC (4.1 MB)
• Map 6.2 Groundwater flood risk VOWH (4.1 MB)
• Map 7.1 Culverted Channels and Flood Storage Areas SODC (3.7 MB)
• Map 7.2 Culverted Channels and Flood Storage Areas VOWH (3.1 MB)
• Map 8.1 Revised Flood Zones (Level 2) SODC (4.4 MB)
• Map 8.2 Revised Flood Zones (Level 2) VOWH (3.8 MB)
• Map 9.1 Impact of Climate Change on Flood Zone 3 SODC (4.4 MB)
• Map 9.2 Impact of Climate Change on Flood Zone 3 VOWH (3.8 MB)
• Map 10.1 Flood Zone 3b: The Functional Flood Plain SODC (4.3 MB)
• Map 10.2 Flood Zone 3b: The Functional Flood Plain VOWH (3.7 MB)
• Map 11: Flood Hazard Map: Abingdon, 1 in 20 years. (3.0 MB)
• Map 12: Flood Hazard Map: Abingdon, 1 in 100 years (3.0 MB)
• Map 13: Flood Hazard Map: Abingdon, 1 in 100 years plus climate change (3.1 MB)