Consultation on Flood Risk Management Plan

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon has announced the commencement of the public consultation on the second cycle draft Flood Risk Management Plan 2021-2027.

The Flood Risk Management Plan is an important step in the implementation of the Floods Directive, and is a requirement under The Water Environment (Floods Directive) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009.

The draft plan establishes objectives to manage the flood risk from the main sources of flooding, and outlines measures to meet these objectives. The measures focus on prevention of flooding, protection of individuals, communities and the environment and preparedness arrangements for flood warning and emergency response.

The consultation document contains a draft plan covering the three River Basin Districts in Northern Ireland. As the draft plan also considers the wider environmental objectives of the Water Framework Directive the consultation document also includes a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA).

Opening the consultation, Minister Mallon said,  “In recent years, flooding has had devastating consequences for those living and working in affected areas, and presented considerable challenges to those providing emergency responses. Climate change projections also indicate that changing rainfall patterns, rising sea levels and more severe extreme weather conditions will increase the occurrence of flooding in the future. 

“The draft plan gives us the opportunity to take a more catchment-based approach to the management of flood risk, and it provides a more systematic, holistic and sustainable way of assessing, mapping and planning to manage flood risk. The Flood Risk Management Planning process helps my Department, and others, to understand the potential impacts of flooding and inform where measures to manage flood risk could provide most benefit.

“In preparing this draft plan, my Department has worked in partnership with our stakeholders, taking on board changes that have taken place during the first cycle of the Floods Directive, along with the latest flood hazard and risk mapping to improve our understanding of flood risk.”

The consultation will run for six months from 22 December 2020 until 25 June 2021 and will be available for public response and comment between these dates. The final Flood Risk Management Plan being published by 22 December 2021.

Further details on the consultation can be found at: www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-draft-flood-risk-management-plan-2021-2027-second-cycle