Environmental Checks - Flood risk

homeless9

How accurate are these Environmental checks they do in relation to flooding?

I have had a report come back saying 'SIGNIFICANT FLOOD RISK' due to surface water......

Does anyone go to the property to do this check?

I assume not. It seems there is a map where flood prone areas are marked up inaccurately with pixels, then they plonk your property on the map, again inaccurately. In my case they plonked the property over the flooded area and then this application goes bingy bingy bong, computer says 'SIGNIFICANT FLOOD RISK'.

Is this how it works?

Because with the property I'm going to be buying there is a large ditch next to the house and you would expect the flood area to be marked up where that ditch is which is 3 metres away from the building, but it is marked up right beside the property where the surface is flat. It doesn't make sense.

Davesnave

3m is not a very significant distance from a potential source of flooding...... unless it's vertically.

However, this is surface water flooding, not flooding from rivers and streams, or the sea, so maybe red herrings swim in this ditch and the real source of concern is large amounts of water trying to reach the ditch.

It's something you'll need to look into further, giving full consideration to the surrounding topography, not just looking at the immediate area and saying it's 'flat.'

davidmcn

Given you're buying a newbuild property, there'll have been a much more detailed and relevant flood report submitted as part of the planning application - have you had a look at that? There's not much point getting a "normal" flooding search as it will be more generalised and won't take into account the layout, drainage etc of the new development.

homeless9

davidmcn said:

Given you're buying a newbuild property, there'll have been a much more detailed and relevant flood report submitted as part of the planning application - have you had a look at that? There's not much point getting a "normal" flooding search as it will be more generalised and won't take into account the layout, drainage etc of the new development.

good idea. I will search for those details. Is this information free to get hold of?

davidmcn

homeless9 said:

davidmcn said:

Given you're buying a newbuild property, there'll have been a much more detailed and relevant flood report submitted as part of the planning application - have you had a look at that? There's not much point getting a "normal" flooding search as it will be more generalised and won't take into account the layout, drainage etc of the new development.

good idea. I will search for those details. Is this information free to get hold of?

Should be under the application for the development on the planning section of the council's website. Worth having a look at the stuff there anyway!

homeless9

davidmcn said:

homeless9 said:

davidmcn said:

Given you're buying a newbuild property, there'll have been a much more detailed and relevant flood report submitted as part of the planning application - have you had a look at that? There's not much point getting a "normal" flooding search as it will be more generalised and won't take into account the layout, drainage etc of the new development.

good idea. I will search for those details. Is this information free to get hold of?

Should be under the application for the development on the planning section of the council's website. Worth having a look at the stuff there anyway!

I could not find any report. I will try contacting the estate agent and see if they can get any documents off the developer.