Flood Zone 2
Land assessed as having between a 0.1% and 1% annual probability of river flooding, or between 0.1% and 0.5% annual probability of sea flooding.
Flood Zone 2 represents land with a medium probability of flooding from rivers or the sea. The Environment Agency defines it as areas where the annual probability of river flooding is between 0.1% and 1% (between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 100), or the annual probability of tidal flooding is between 0.1% and 0.5% (between 1 in 1,000 and 1 in 200).
All development proposals in Flood Zone 2 require a site-specific Flood Risk Assessment to be submitted with the planning application. The Sequential Test must also be passed, demonstrating that there are no reasonably available sites at lower risk where the development could be located.
Most types of development are considered appropriate in Flood Zone 2 under the NPPF flood risk vulnerability classifications, including:
- Residential dwellings (classified as “more vulnerable”)
- Commercial and retail premises (“less vulnerable”)
- Essential infrastructure (with an Exception Test)
The FRA for a Flood Zone 2 site must assess the actual probability and depth of flooding, which may differ significantly from the zone boundary. The SFRA produced by the local planning authority provides a starting point, but site-specific analysis using hydraulic modelling often reveals a more accurate picture.
Aegaea provides flood risk assessments for Flood Zone 2 sites, often supported by FloodMetric screening to accelerate the early-stage feasibility process.