EA Flood Map for Planning: August 2025 Update

On the 27th August 2025, the Environment Agency (EA) will roll out changes to the Flood Map for Planning (FMfP). This update aims to make climate change flood risk data easier to use at the planning stage, while keeping the full technical datasets available for more detailed work.

If you missed our coverage of the March 2025 changes, you can read our earlier article here for context.

The Big Change – A New ‘Flood Zones plus climate change’ Layer

From the 27th August, the FMfP will include a new mapping layer called Flood Zones plus climate change.

• It will show how the combined extent of Flood Zones 2 and 3 could expand over the next 100 years with climate change.
• It will replace the current “rivers and sea – with and without defences” climate change layers on the public map.
• The old defended/undefended datasets will still be available for download via the Defra Data Services Platform for consultants needing more detailed analysis.

The EA stresses this is not a new flood risk assessment – no extra areas are being marked as at risk. It is simply a more streamlined way of showing the same information published in March 2025.

For an overview, watch this video, produced by the TCPA, explaining the upcoming changes and how they fit into the planning process.

Why This Matters

The March 2025 FMfP update provided climate change scenarios, but these were often difficult to interpret quickly for planning screening. The new single layer should make it easier to:

• Identify when the Sequential Test applies.
• Spot when a site-specific Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) is required.
• Support Strategic Flood Risk Assessments (SFRAs) by showing how flood zones may change over time.

For applicants, this means:

• If your site is in Flood Zone 1 now, but falls within the “Flood Zones plus climate change” extent, it can be treated as Flood Zone 2 for Environment Agency consultation and Flood Risk Standing Advice.
• Early awareness can help avoid design changes later in the planning process.

How to Use the New Layer

The EA advises using the new layer straight away after launch for:

• Screening sites in line with Sequential Test policy.
• Deciding whether an FRA is needed.
• Informing early site layout and masterplanning to avoid high-risk areas.

It should always be used alongside other datasets and local modelling – particularly where an Exception Test is required or where development is proposed in high-risk areas.

Updated Product Suitability Guidance

The EA’s updated Product Suitability Diagram (v2.0), also effective from 27th August, makes clear which datasets are:

• Green – Suitable for use (e.g. Flood Zones 2 & 3 present day, Flood Zones plus climate change, surface water extent present day).
• Amber – Relevant but needs more evidence (e.g. surface water climate change extents, reservoir flood risk).
• Red – Unsuitable for use (e.g. certain coastal erosion datasets due to short time horizons).

This diagram will stay in place until surface water climate change and depth information is added to the FMfP later in 2025.

What’s Coming Next

The EA has set out two more FMfP updates this year:

• Autumn 2025 – addition of surface water climate change extents and depth bands.
• Late 2025 – addition of rivers and sea banded depth information.

After that, the FMfP is expected to return to a quarterly update cycle, incorporating more local modelling and incremental data improvements.

At Unda, we’ll be applying the new “Flood Zones plus climate change” layer to all relevant planning and flood risk assessment work from 27th August. For applicants and planners, the main takeaway is simple: check the new layer early. It could change your site’s planning risk profile – even if it’s not in Flood Zones 2 or 3 today. If you’d like tailored advice on how these changes could affect your site or application, get in touch with our team for expert guidance.