Flood risk vs flood zone

linc1464

Dear all,

My wife and I are looking at a house in Devon. We've discovered that it is in flood zone 2, which we're now OK with and are prepared to accept the 1 in 100 to 1 in 1000 risk of flood. This is because we've been told by various residents that they have never had flooding and because the property has not flooded in 130 years. The flood zone thing is taken from an EA flood map for planning by our surveyor.

However, there is also another EA map about flood risk from river or sea and on that one our prospective property is in a high risk area (dark blue - yikes!).

Both of these maps cannot be right but I want to know whether anyone can explain the difference. I asume that one must be more accurate. Which one is most relevant? I decided to post on this part of the forum because i'm interested in which one the insurers use. I've put the address of this house into several insurer quote websites and the premiums are fine (200-300 quid).

Thanks in advance for any help
Steve

huckster

I think the two are just ways the EA look at flood risk management and what measures they can take. I live near a river which breached its bank about 20 years ago and affected a few house down the road. It never came into the houses, but affected garages. Since then the EA have invested in a water level monitoring system, they maintain the river banks by clearing weeds, they have built natural storage areas for water to flood into and they open up gates further down to manage flow.

I think what the dark blue high risk area is showing, is that at some point houses sharing the same postcode have had flood water near them. Does not mean your house or houses next to yours have ever been flooded. I think my house is also shaded dark blue, but i know that it was a one off event 20 years ago affecting a few garages down the road. The current house owner will have had a letter from the EA advising on flood risk.

Edit. Flood zone is just the overall area that might be affected in an historic event. Flood risk is where there is a known risk within postcode or within the general area the house is situated.