Flood Risk Assessments and Preliminary Drainage Design for Renewable Energy Developments
Renewable Energy supply is key to creating a sustainable future, and enabling farmers and landowners to generate additional income through diversification and investment in business and infrastructure.
Unda’s Flood Risk and Drainage Consultants are able to utilise their existing experience of working on Renewable Energy Development projects (Onshore Wind Farms, Solar Farms and Anaerobic Digestion / Biogas, ranging between 500kw to 20MW) to provide effective Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Designs to support the planning process. Our consultancy team is well placed to undertake all levels of assessment ranging from flood risk screening opinions and initial feasibility studies, through to the discharging of planning conditions.
Site Size and Related Issues
Quite often the size of renewable sites (such as ground mounted Solar PV arrays), there is a requirement as part of the planning process to understand the impact of a site on changing the flood risk to the surrounding area and drainage is often required to be assessed as part of a Flood Risk Assessment. Where a site is one hectare or more in Flood Zone 1, and all sites within Flood Zone 2 and Flood Zone 3, a Flood Risk Assessment is required under the NPPF (click here to see why you might need a FRA for planning in Wales and Scotland.)
Flood Risk Assessment for Renewable Energy Projects:
Our team of flood risk professionals specialise in delivering and supporting renewable energy planning, insurance and due diligence through the provision of Flood Risk Assessment and Drainage Strategy services. Typically our FRA’s for Renewable Energy Development incorporate:
- Sustainable management of surface water runoff to prevent any increase in surface water leaving the site or causing localised flooding.
- Where development is within a fluvial (river) floodplain, providing compensatory flood storage where necessary.
- Recommending flood mitigation measures to help ensure the safety of the site in the event of flooding, and reduce the potential impact of the development offsite, such as:
- Raising floor levels and key electrical infrastructure above the design flood levels
- Design development to allow conveyance of floodwaters freely across a site
- Provision of a flood warning and evacuation plan to enable site users to access the site safely
- Sequential approach to site development – locating the uses most vulnerable to flooding in the lowest flood risk areas
- Provision of sustainable drainage measures such as swales and infiltration trenches to alleviate concentration of runoff, slow the surface water flow across the site and encourage infiltration of surface waters
- Maintain statutory and byelaw distances from rivers, drains and other watercourses on site
We understand the importance of delivering robust analysis and reports throughout the planning process, to minimise the need for clients to compromise on design and ultimately income through MWP output. Contact us for a no obligation discussion and quotation.
Call For Your Free Quote Now
If you need a quote or to discuss your requirements in more detail contact Jackie Stone, one of our experienced Flood Risk Consultants.
Call 01293 214444