Category Archives: Flood Warning and Evacuation Plan

60 Day Rule for Camping & Flood Risk

60 Day Rule for Camping & Flood Risk

You have been Asked for a Flood Risk Assessment and Flood Warning Plan when you have decided to extend your 28 days camping rule, to 60 days you may be required to submit a Flood Risk Assessment and a Flood Warning Plan. We can write both of these for you.

In the last chapter on this page we offer a up a few tips if you would like to try and write you own flood risk assessment.

a picuture show camping and tents flooded in a field the water is muddy and you cannot see the gound the tops of the colourful tents are poking out of the surface of the flood water

Glastonbury 2005 – Creative Commons 2.0 – sebFlyte

The 60-day Rule

  • Introduced in July 2023, it allows landowners to use their land as a campsite for up to 60 days per calendar year for up to 50 pitches, without needing full planning permission.
  • It applies to tents, motorhomes, and campervans (but not touring caravans).
  • You must notify your local planning authority beforehand with details like dates, site plan, and waste disposal methods.

Flood Risk and the 60-day Rule

Sites in Flood Zone 2 or 3 Require Additional Consideration

Even outside Flood Zones 2 & 3, be Cautious

      • Check historical flood maps and local flood risk information.
      • Choose campsites on high ground, away from bodies of water, and avoid low-lying areas.
      • Stay updated on weather forecasts and be prepared to evacuate if necessary.

Remember:

  • The 60-day rule simplifies permissions, but flood safety remains paramount.
  • Prioritize safety and choose campsites with minimal flood risk, regardless of the rule’s applicability.

A Little Help

We fully appreciate that some smaller campsite, may not make a huge amount of money, and as such we provide the below hints for writing your own Flood Risk Assessment which perfectly OK thing to do.

  • Why not use Google Gemini to Write the Bulk of the Text for You
  • Order a “Product 4” from the Environment Agency (You can do this via “Flood Map for Planning “)
  • Use the data they provide (you have to wait 20 days) to write you report.
  • Move camping areas to low risk areas.
  • Use flood risk areas for open areas or sports areas.
  • Describe what people will do if the campsite becomes flooded, and where they can shelter.
  • Read about “flash flooding” and what the dangers are, think about how you can warn people about it (sign up to flood warnings and sever weather warnings).

Lots of Help

We can do this for you if you like.

Surface Water Drainage Strategy & Flood Warning and Evacuation Plan Tilbury

Surface Water Drainage Strategy & Flood Warning and Evacuation Plan Tilbury

Southwest Environmental were instructed to undertake a Surface Water Drainage Strategy for a commercial development in the Port of Tilbury.

A few weeks after this initial instruction we were also advised to proceed with a Flood Warning and Evacuation Plan.

In both cases the key was  building up sufficient evidence in order to ascertain risks accurately, and then implement migratory measures and evacuation procedures based on those risks.

Flood Warning and Evacuation Plan

There has been historic flooding in Tilbury, and flood water can take many days to recede after an event. The flood defenses in Tilbury do provide a good level of protection but, it is important to consider over topping events.

Although the site should remain high during a flood it is thought, that workers may be isolated for a number of days. To that end a list of long life provisions was included in the Flood Warning and Evacuation Plan. Image from here.

Surface Water Drainage Strategy

The site is to be entirely covered in concrete surfaces, there is also wash water from the intended use that must be disposed of.

Surface Water and Foul Water systems were kept separate in the conceptual design, additional measures were taken to ensure that this was so, although changes to design were kept to a minimum.

The port has a complex private drainage system, and this was studied in deatil to suggest applicable options moving forward.

ciria_mitigation_indices

Surface water was disposed of to the Thames River (which runs through London) via the Open Botany Drainage Channel and Botany Sluice. Water Qaulity to the Thames was subject to new CIRIA Mitigation Indices (above).

Flood Risk Assessment – Weston-Super-Mare

Flood Risk Assessment – Weston-Super-Mare

Based in Bristol Southwest Environmental Limited have recently carried out a Flood Risk Assessment for a Site in Weston Super Mare.

A large area of Weston Super Mare is low lying and is prone to flooding for tidal (sea) and fluvial (river) sources. In order to assess the risk, it is important to get hold of the best possible data which might indicate future flood depths on site.

Weston s Mare has good flood defences. 

Most of Weston Super Mare would flood in a serve tidal event, if the town did not have flood defences. But luckily it does! The problem is finding out how good these defences are. For example are the defences tall enough to keep flood waters out of the town.

Accurate Flood Risk Mapping can Help Produce a Good Report

The answer for the most part is yes. The flood defences in Weston Super Mare are tall enough to keep out a 1:1000 year tidal flood. But this depends on a few things:

  • Are the strong enough?
  • Have they been well maintained?
  • Will they be maintained in the future?
  • Will they be removed or changed at some point in the future?
The first two question above are fairly easily answered given access to the correct data. However, the the latter two will likley remain unanswered.

Flood Warning and Evacuation Plan – Tilbury Essex

Flood Warning and Evacuation Plan – Tilbury Essex

Southwest Environmental typically include a basic flood warning and evacuation plan within our Standard Flood Risk Assessment Report. However, some times for large multi use developments, in high risk areas a more detailed report is needed.

These Flood Warning and Evacuation Plans have numerous objectives which are listed below:

  • To inform residents and / or site users of likely flood conditions, how deep, will it be fast flowing.
  • To explain the flood warnings issued by the Environment Agency and how to interpret these warning, and act upon them.
  • To describe the location of any safe refuge that may be included within the building. 

A safe refuge is an area assigned within a building that is set above the 1 ;1000 year flood level. Residents or employees can move to this higher area within the building in the event of a flood. They may have to remain in the safe refuge for a number of day so it is important that there is space and facilities available accordant with the anticipated number of occupants.

It was conditioned within the planning approval for the development that a list of provisions be included for the safe refuge store within the Flood Warning and Evacuation Plan, and this was provided based on MSN 1676 a specification for provision in life raft and life boats. Irrelevant equipment was omitted, but by following this guide it was thought a long lasting and useful collection provisions was established on site.

This particular project in Tilbury, Essex require two plans, one for residential site users and one for commercial users.

If you have requirements of this nature with regards to a planning application or a planning condition relating to Flood Warning and Evacuation Plans then please get in touch.