Introduction

The full Strategic Flood Risk Assessment report and Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Addendum created by Metis Consultants Ltd is available to download from our website.

1.1 Objectives of the SFRA

The purpose of this Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) is to fulfil the planning and flood risk requirements of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). This document provides a strategic overview for all sources of flood risk throughout the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (Kingston). It addresses local requirements, with associated web mapping delivered as part of the SFRA, including the following:

• Climate change impacts, which will incorporate recently published guidance and provide associated flood mapping for fluvial sources.
• Specific policies and interpretations of the Flood Zones, including the creation of a Flood Zone 3a designation for surface water flood risk, alongside of the fluvial Flood Zone 3a designation.

This Level 1 SFRA will assist Kingston in improving their strategic approach for managing flood risk across the borough. This approach will be balanced with the challenges posed to the borough through the need for increased development.

1.2 Document Structure – User Guidance

The document is broken down into eight sections:

• Section 1 (Introduction): Purpose and objectives of the SFRA.
• Section 2 (Planning and Policy Framework): Relevant national, regional, and local policies relating to flood risk and associated requirements.
• Section 3 (Data Sources and Mapping): Data sources used to produce the web maps that form part of the SFRA.
• Section 4 (Applying Climate Change to Risk Assessment): How to apply the updated guidance, and adapting to climate change.
• Section 5 (Assessment of Flood Risk): Flood risk from all sources across Kingston, including climate change implications where this information is available.
• Section 6 (Flood Risk Assessment Guidance): Guidance for applicants undertaking Flood Risk Assessments (FRA) for proposed development sites. This section explains the requirements of the Sequential Test and Exception Test.
• Section 7 (Recommendations): Recommended site-specific and strategic policies.
• Section 8 (Review and Next Steps): Summary of the proposed update schedule for the SFRA (technical content and mapping) and information on Level 2 SFRA requirements.

1.3 A Living Document

This SFRA is intended to be ‘living document’. Associated online maps utilise a range of different datasets, including flood risk data from the EA. This information is reviewed and updated on a regular basis. For further information on reviews and updates for this SFRA see Section 8.

The SFRA report is shaped by the latest legislation, policy, and flood risk information. Any new Acts, policy directives, or information that may impact flood risk management and planning decisions will be reviewed in accordance with the information currently presented in the SFRA. Following completion of this 2021 version, any updates made to the SFRA report will be documented as required.