SEPA sets out seven-year timetable for the delivery of flood risk management plans across Scotland
May 27th 2015
Next week sees the deadline for responses to SEPA’s consultation on how flood risk is managed in Scotland. SEPA (the Scottish Environment Protection Agency) has described the consultation as “the most comprehensive assessment of flood risk and its impacts ever compiled in Scotland.” The consultation documents provide details of the most sustainable set of actions to help tackle flooding in areas identified as being at greatest risk across Scotland. They also provide information on those areas where the most benefits are to be gained by taking action. The deadline for comments is Tuesday 2nd June.
SEPA says that the consultation has been produced by SEPA in partnership with local authorities, following guidelines set out in the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009. The guidelines encourage a coordinated approach to the planning of flood risk management and more partnership working between public bodies that have responsibilities for raising awareness of flood risk in Scotland. Those bodies include SEPA, Scottish Water, the Forestry Commission Scotland, the National Park authorities and local authorities.
For the purposes of managing flood risk, Scotland has been divided into 14 Local Plan Districts. These geographical areas are designated by Scottish Ministers on the recommendations of SEPA, and each Local Plan District has a Lead Local Flood Authority agreed by all the local authorities represented in that district.
SEPA has set out a seven-year timetable for the delivery of flood risk management plans across Scotland. Following feedback from the consultation, SEPA plans to publish a flood risk management strategy for each of the Local Plan Districts in December 2015. The strategies will confirm the immediate priorities for flood risk management and set out the future direction for each Lead Local Flood Authority. The lead authorities will coordinate the production of a Local Flood Risk Management Plan and will publish delivery plans in June 2016. The delivery plans will set out how actions to manage flood risk will be coordinated, funded and delivered between 2016 and 2022.
Scotland’s Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Dr Aileen McLeod, has described the consultation as “another important milestone in the implementation of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.”
For more information on the consultation, see “Flood Risk Management Scotland”.
ENA UK 