North East Northumberland Catchment Flood Management Plan Summary Report December 2009 Managing Flood Risk We Are the Environment Agency
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North East Northumberland Catchment Flood Management Plan Summary Report December 2009 managing flood risk We are the Environment Agency. It’s our job to look after your environment and make it a better place – for you, and for future generations. Your environment is the air you breathe, the water you drink and the ground you walk on. Working with business, Government and society as a whole, we are making your environment cleaner and healthier. The Environment Agency. Out there, making your environment a better place. Published by: Environment Agency Rivers House, 21 Park Square South, Leeds, LS1 2QG Tel: 0870 8506506 Email: [email protected] www.environment-agency.gov.uk © Environment Agency All rights reserved. This document may be reproduced with prior permission of the Environment Agency. ISBN: GENE1109BRCM-E-P December 2009 Introduction I am pleased to introduce our summary of the North East Northumberland Catchment Flood Management Plan (CFMP). This CFMP gives an overview of the flood risk in the North East Northumberland catchment and sets out our preferred plan for sustainable flood risk management over the next 50 to 100 years. The North East Northumberland CFMP is one of 77 means that the impact of the flooding is largely CFMPs for England and Wales. Through the CFMPs, we dominated by agricultural land and structures such have assessed inland flood risk across all of England as bridges and former mills. In total less that 400 and Wales for the first time. The CFMP considers all properties are at risk in the catchment. There are types of inland flooding, from rivers, ground water, limited defences in the catchment which offer little surface water and tidal flooding, but not flooding protection to existing communities. directly from the sea (coastal flooding), which is We cannot reduce flood risk on our own, we will covered by Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs). therefore work closely with all our partners to improve Our coverage of surface and ground water is however the co-ordination of flood risk activities and agree limited due to a lack of available information. the most effective way to manage flood risk in the The role of CFMPs is to establish flood risk management future. In developing this plan we have worked with policies which will deliver sustainable flood risk others including Northumberland County Council, Fire management for the long term. This is essential if we and Rescue Service, National Farmers Union, Natural are to make the right investment decisions for the England, Northumberland Wildlife Trust, Northumbria future and to help prepare ourselves effectively for Regional Flood Defence Committee, Northumbrian the impact of climate change. We will use CFMPs to Water Limited and the Northumberland Park Authority. help us target our limited resources where the risks This is a summary of the main CFMP document, if you are greatest. need to see the full document an electronic version This CFMP identifies flood risk management policies to can be obtained by emailing enquiries@environment- assist all key decision makers in the catchment. It was agency.gov.uk or alternatively paper copies can be produced through a wide consultation and appraisal viewed at any of our offices in the North East. process; however it is only the first step towards an integrated approach to flood risk management. As we all work together to achieve our objectives, we must monitor and listen to each others progress, discuss what has been achieved and consider where we may need to review parts of the CFMP. The rural catchment of North East Northumberland has a well defined natural floodplain which is flooded David Dangerfield, regularly. The limited development on the floodplain Director – Yorkshire and North East Environment Agency North East Northumberland Catchment Flood Management Plan 1 Contents The purpose of a CFMP in managing flood risk 3 Catchment overview 4 Current and future flood risk 6 Future direction for flood risk management 10 Sub-areas 1 Belford 12 2 Long Nanny 14 3 Haggerston 15 4 Waren and Newlands Burn 16 5 Beal Cast 18 6 Ross Low 19 7 Upper Aln 20 8 Lower Aln 22 9 Coastal 23 10 Coquet 24 Map of the CFMP policies 26 2 Environment Agency North East Northumberland Catchment Flood Management Plan The purpose of a CFMP in managing flood risk CFMPs help us to understand the • IDBs, water companies and CFMPs aim to promote more scale and extent of flooding now other utilities to help plan their sustainable approaches to managing and in the future, and set policies activities in the wider context of flood risk. The policies identified in for managing flood risk within the the catchment; the CFMP will be delivered through a catchment. CFMPs should be used combination of different approaches. • Transportation planners; to inform planning and decision Together with our partners, we making by key stakeholders such as: • Land owners, farmers and land will implement these approaches managers that manage and through a range of delivery plans, • The Environment Agency, who will operate land for agriculture, projects and actions. use the plan to guide decisions conservation and amenity on investment in further plans, The relationship between the CFMP, purposes; projects or actions; delivery plans, strategies, projects • The public and businesses to and actions is shown in figure 1. • Regional planning bodies and enhance their understanding local authorities who can use the of flood risk and how it will be plan to inform spatial planning managed. activities and emergency planning; Figure 1 The relationship between CFMPs, delivery plans, projects and actions Policy planning • CFMPs and Shoreline Management Plans. • Action plans define requirement for delivery plans, projects and actions. Policy delivery plans (see note) Projects and actions • Influence spatial planning to reduce risk • Make sure our spending delivers the best and restore floodplains. possible outcomes. • Prepare for and manage floods • Focus on risk based targets, for example (including local Flood Warning plans). numbers of households at risk. • Managing assets. • Water level management plans. • Land management and habitat creation. Note: Some plans may not be led by us – we may • Surface water management plans. identify the need and encourage their development. Environment Agency North East Northumberland Catchment Flood Management Plan 3 Catchment overview The North East Northumberland and eastern part of the CFMP is The area is rich in environmental CFMP is located in the North East characterised by flat coastal plains diversity, historical and cultural of England. The catchment drains with wide valleys. heritage and this is recognised an area of approximately 1,400 through European, national and The CFMP area is predominantly kilometres from the Cheviot Hills international designations within rural with small urban areas to the North Sea. It has two major the CFMP area. There are six Special including Alnwick, Alnmouth, rivers – the River Coquet and the Areas of Conservation (SAC), two Rothbury, Amble, Lowick and River Aln. The River Coquet drains Special Protection Areas (SPA), 146 Seahouses. There are numerous from the Cheviot Hills through Ramsar sites and 33 Sites of Special small villages dispersed Rothbury and Warkworth to Amble Scientific Interest (SSSI) reflecting throughout the CFMP area. The and the River Aln drains from the environmental importance. catchment has a population of Alnham, past Alnwick to Alnmouth. The Northumberland coast from approximately 39,700. The local There are also many short coastal Berwick-upon-Tweed to Amble is an economy is dominated by tourism streams that drain directly into the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and agriculture including small North Sea. (AONB). There are also a number commercial fishing from a number of Scheduled Ancient Monuments The catchment has distinct of the coastal villages. There are (SAMs) and five registered parks landscape characteristics. The nationally important transport and gardens. southern and western part of the links located within the CFMP area. CFMP is characterised by upland These include the East Coast Main heather and peat moors, steep Line railway and the A1 trunk road sided valleys, narrow valleys linking Scotland and England. and small villages. The northern 4 Environment Agency North East Northumberland Catchment Flood Management Plan Map 1 Location and extent of the North East Northumberland CFMP area Environment Agency North East Northumberland Catchment Flood Management Plan 5 Current and future flood risk Overview of the current flood risk What is at risk? The risk of flooding can be broken In the lower reaches of the Coquet Within the North East down into two parts; the chance and Aln there are some areas which Northumberland CFMP area (probability) of a particular flood are at risk from tidal flooding. Areas there is a total of 394 properties and the impact (consequence) around Warkworth and Alnmouth currently at risk of flooding at the that the flood would have if it are effected by tidal levels although one per cent flood event. happened. The probability of a this risk hasn’t been fully assessed The impact of flooding on flood relates to the likelihood of a in this CFMP. environmental assets has been flood of that size occurring within There is a rich history of flooding, assessed. It is believed that a one year period, it is expressed the most damaging flood occurred flooding will have a negative impact as a percentage. For example, a in 2008 when 72 properties were on two SACs, two SPAs and nine one per cent flood has a one per flooded in Rothbury. Further of the SSSIs within the catchment. cent chance or 0.01 probability of property flooding has occurred in However, flooding will also have a occurring in any one year. Within Rothbury in 1996, 1992 and 1946. positive impact on two SACs, and this document the figures for Flooding on the River Aln has been one SSSI.