A Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) is a comprehensive flood risk study commissioned by a local planning authority (or group of authorities) to assess all sources of flood risk across their administrative area. The SFRA forms a key part of the evidence base for the Local Plan and supports planning decisions at the site level.

SFRAs serve two main purposes:

Plan-making: Informing the allocation of development sites by applying the Sequential Test at the strategic level. Sites at lowest flood risk should be allocated for development before those at higher risk. The SFRA provides the flood risk evidence that underpins these decisions.
Development management: Providing a reference resource for applicants preparing site-specific Flood Risk Assessments and for planning officers assessing applications. The SFRA typically contains more detailed flood risk information than the Environment Agency’s national mapping.

A typical SFRA includes:

Mapping of all flood zones, including the distinction between Flood Zone 3a and 3b (which the EA’s national mapping does not differentiate)
Assessment of flood risk from all sources: fluvial, tidal, surface water, groundwater, sewers, and artificial sources
Climate change mapping showing how flood zones may change over the plan period
Site-specific assessments for proposed allocations
Guidance on applying the Sequential and Exception Tests

When undertaking a Flood Risk Assessment, the local SFRA is one of the first documents Aegaea reviews, as it provides the baseline flood risk context and often includes site-specific recommendations. See our flood zones guide for more on how SFRA data informs development decisions.