Implementation of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009: report to the Scottish Parliament - 2019

3. An Integrated Approach to Flood Risk Management

3.1 Background

Flood risk management is the process of assessing, organising and implementing actions to deal with flood risk. The main outcome of the flood risk management planning process should be a set of sustainable actions being taken to reduce overall flood risk across Scotland.

Multiple organisations are involved in managing flood risk. It is therefore essential that an integrated approach, that balances national consistency and strategic decisions with local knowledge and accountability, is adopted.

3.2 National Flood Risk Assessment

The 2018 National Flood Risk Assessment (NFRA) has provided Scotland with the knowledge and tools to assess the causes and consequences of river, coastal and surface water flooding, taking into account the effects of climate change. It considers the potential impact of flooding on human health, economic activity, the environment and cultural heritage and is based on the most up to date data available.

We now understand there are around 284,000 homes, businesses and services across Scotland at risk of flooding from rivers, surface water and the sea. A further 110,000 properties may be at risk due to climate change by the 2080s under a high emissions scenario.

3.3 Flood Risk Management Planning

For the purposes of Flood Risk Management Planning, Scotland is divided up into 14 Local Plan Districts (LPD), with a lead local authority assigned to each. For each LPD a flood risk management strategy and a local flood risk management plan have been published.

Flood Risk Management Strategies, prepared by SEPA, in collaboration with relevant responsible authorities set out a long-term vision for the overall reduction of flood risk. They contain a summary of flood risk in each Local Plan District together with information on catchment characteristics and a summary of objectives and measures for Potentially Vulnerable Areas.

Local Flood Risk Management Plans are developed by lead local authorities and take these objectives and set out what actions will be taken and how they will be funded.

3.4 Progress on Actions in Cycle One

Local authorities continue to progress the actions identified in the first cycle of flood risk management strategies and local flood risk management plans. These actions range from helping to raise awareness, encouraging property owners to take action to help themselves, to flood warning schemes and flood protection works.

As required by the Act, the 14 Lead Local Authorities published their interim reports in 2019, detailing the progress made in delivering the actions within their Local Flood Risk Management Plan. Within the interim reports, progress of actions were outlined using a Red-Amber-Green reporting system, with 83% of all actions shown to be at "Green" status, indicating no issues, for delivery within the FRM cycle timeframes.

Within these actions, 42 flood protection schemes were identified and three were completed in 2019; the White Cart Water FPS Phase 3, Broxburn FPS and Camlachie Burn Biggar Street works. Many schemes are making good progress and have been confirmed by the relevant Councils with construction work due to be completed or started during 2020.