Urban Water’s Published Fee Schedule

Our fee schedule is based on the threshold definitions used by the Environment Agency and Local Planning Authorities (LPAs):

• Minor Development — less than 9 dwellings, or industrial/office units under 3,000 m²: from £650 + VAT
• Major Development — 10 or more dwellings, or industrial/office units exceeding 0.5 Ha: from £1,850 + VAT
• Strategic Infrastructure — costs provided on request following scoping discussion

We can provide a draft FRA for submission within 10–15 working days of instruction, subject to receipt of site layout drawings and EA data response timescales. The Environment Agency’s statutory response time for Product 4 flood data requests is up to 20 working days; we submit these requests at point of instruction to minimise programme impact.

Flood Zone Classification (FZ1, FZ2, FZ3a, FZ3b)

Zone classification under the EA’s Flood Map for Planning is the single largest cost determinant. A Zone 1 site with no surface water risk may require only a short written FRA statement. A Zone 3a site requires assessment of the 1-in-100-year fluvial event with 35% climate change allowance, safe access and egress analysis, and demonstration that the development passes the flood vulnerability test defined in Table 2 of the NPPF Technical Guidance. Zone 3b (functional floodplain) restricts development to water-compatible uses and essential infrastructure only.

Site Area and Development Vulnerability Classification

NPPF Technical Guidance categorises uses into Essential Infrastructure, Highly Vulnerable, More Vulnerable, Less Vulnerable, and Water-Compatible. A residential dwelling (More Vulnerable) in Zone 3a requires a greater level of assessment than a car park (Less Vulnerable) in the same zone. Similarly, a site exceeding 1 Ha in Zone 1 triggers an FRA requirement regardless of zone. Site area directly affects the hydrological calculations for surface water run-off, peak flow attenuation, and compensatory flood storage.

Site-Specific Hydraulic Modelling

For sites adjacent to ordinary watercourses or main rivers where EA flood zone boundaries are uncertain or the proposed finished floor level (FFL) falls close to the modelled 1-in-100-year flood level, the LPA or EA will require site-specific 1D or 2D hydraulic modelling. This typically involves building or extending an existing HEC-RAS, InfoWorks ICM, or TUFLOW model, calibrated against gauged flow data and LiDAR-derived terrain. Modelling commissions add £2,000–£6,000+ to a standard FRA fee, depending on model complexity and the number of return periods assessed (1%, 0.5%, 0.1% AEP events).

Proximity to Main Rivers and Ordinary Watercourses

Sites within 8 m of a main river bank (or 16 m for a tidal main river) may require an Environmental Permit under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, in addition to planning permission. Permit applications require additional consenting work that sits outside the standard FRA scope and carries a separate fee. We flag this risk during initial site screening.

Groundwater and Sewer Flood Risk

Sites on chalk, limestone or other permeable substrates, or in low-lying urban areas with recorded sewer flooding incidents, require assessment of groundwater and sewer flood mechanisms in addition to fluvial and pluvial sources. Groundwater flood risk is assessed using BGS data and the EA’s Areas Susceptible to Groundwater Flooding (AStGWF) dataset. Where uncertainty is high, the LPA may require borehole monitoring data, which sits outside the standard FRA scope.

Programme and Turnaround Requirement

Standard programme is 10–15 working days from receipt of instruction and supporting information. Sites requiring EA consultation for Product 4 flood data (modelled flood levels at a specific point) should allow for the EA’s 20-working-day statutory response period. Accelerated turnaround is available on request; contact us to discuss.

When Low-Cost Reports Get Refused by LPAs

• No Chartered Engineer sign-off — most LPAs require the FRA to be authored by a suitably qualified professional (typically CEng MICE or equivalent). An unsigned template report will fail validation.
• Failure to request EA Product 4 data — for Zone 3 sites, flood level data must be obtained directly from the EA. A report that uses only publicly available data (Flood Map for Planning, JBA or similar commercial datasets) will not satisfy the LPA’s requirement for modelled flood elevations at the site.
• No site visit where required — for raised flood risk sites, some LPAs expect physical confirmation of site levels and drainage conditions, particularly where the site topography is not captured in available LiDAR data.
• Generic methodology — a report that references the correct guidance documents but does not apply them to site-specific conditions is routinely rejected. The FRA must demonstrate climate change allowances, flood depth and velocity at the site, and safe access/egress routes calibrated to the 1% AEP + climate change event.

Our Approach on Price-Sensitive Commissions

Urban Water offer fixed-price FRAs for straightforward sites from £650 + VAT. We do not reduce fee by cutting scope — instead, we scope accurately at the outset to avoid over-engineering the report. Our assessments are authored by Chartered Members of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (MCIWEM) and the Institution of Civil Engineers (MICE), satisfying LPA professional competence requirements.

We also provide a free initial site screening to confirm the correct level of assessment before you commit to a fee, avoiding scope creep mid-project.

What Automated Flood Risk Reports Provide

• A summary of flood risk from multiple data sources (EA flood zones, JBA surface water models, BGS groundwater data)
• Policy flags indicating whether an FRA may be required under the NPPF
• Historic flood event data and proximity to flood defences
• Climate change indicative risk projections

These reports are suitable for: initial site appraisal and feasibility, pre-purchase due diligence, insurance assessment, and internal risk screening.

What Automated Reports Cannot Do for Planning

• They are not accepted by LPAs as a Flood Risk Assessment for planning purposes
• They cannot request EA Product 4 modelled flood level data at the site
• They do not assess site-specific topography, safe access/egress, flood depth or velocity
• They carry no professional indemnity from a named engineer — the LPA will not discharge a flood risk planning condition on this basis

If your LPA requires an FRA as a pre-condition to validating your planning application (common for Zone 2, Zone 3, and surface-water-flagged Zone 1 sites), you require a professionally authored FRA — not a screening report. To understand what the assessment involves, see our page on what is a flood risk assessment

• Chartered Civil Engineers with specialist hydrology or flood risk competence
• Chartered Members of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (MCIWEM)
• Environmental consultants with demonstrable FRA delivery experience and professional indemnity insurance

Urban Water’s assessments are authored and signed off by Argemiro Rivera BEng(Hons) MSc CEng MICE MCIWEM C.WEM CEnv. All reports carry professional indemnity cover. For more on what the report includes, see our flood risk report for planning page

Flood Screening Study

A flood screening study is a rapid desktop assessment to determine whether a full FRA is needed and from which sources — fluvial (river flooding), tidal, pluvial (surface water), groundwater, and sewer. It draws on the EA Flood Map for Planning, the Lead Local Flood Authority’s (LLFA) Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA), and available hydrological datasets. For Zone 1 sites with no surface water risk flag, a screening study may be the full deliverable required by the LPA.

Flood Scoping Study

A scoping study establishes the technical methodology to be applied in the full FRA, including the flood return periods to be assessed (typically 1%, 0.5%, and 0.1% AEP), climate change allowances in line with current EA guidance, and whether site-specific hydraulic modelling is required. It is commonly produced before fee quotation on complex sites to avoid scope uncertainty.

Sequential Test and Exception Test

The Sequential Test must be demonstrated for all development proposals in Flood Zone 2 or 3, and for sites exceeding 1 Ha in Zone 1. It requires the applicant to demonstrate that there are no reasonably available sites with a lower flood risk probability for the proposed development. Where the Sequential Test cannot be passed but the development is considered necessary, the Exception Test applies, requiring demonstration that the development provides wider sustainability benefits and that the development will be safe for its lifetime. Urban Water can provide Sequential and Exception Test support as a separate commission — contact us for a scoped fee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Complete My Own Flood Risk Assessment?

A basic site-level assessment is feasible using the EA’s Flood Map for Planning and published NPPF guidance. However, for planning applications in Flood Zone 2 or 3, or Zone 1 sites with surface water risk, the LPA requires a technically authored FRA that demonstrates professional competence. A self-prepared report is unlikely to be accepted as valid by the planning authority, and a refused or invalid application carries programme and cost risk that typically exceeds the saving on professional fees.

How Long Does a Flood Risk Assessment Take?

A standard desktop FRA for a minor development can be delivered within 10–15 working days of instruction, subject to receipt of site drawings. For sites requiring EA Product 4 flood data, allow an additional 20 working days for the EA’s statutory response. Sites requiring site-specific hydraulic modelling should allow 6–12 weeks programme depending on model complexity. Urban Water will confirm a realistic programme at the point of quotation.

What Does a Flood Risk Assessment Include?

A compliant FRA for planning purposes will typically include: flood risk assessment from all sources (fluvial, tidal, pluvial, groundwater, sewer); flood zone confirmation and climate change allowances applied to the relevant return periods; assessment of flood depth, velocity, and hazard rating at the site; safe access and egress analysis for the 1% AEP + climate change event; recommendations for flood resilience and resistance measures at finished floor level; and confirmation of whether a Flood Risk Activity Permit (FRAP) under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016 is required.