Where flood risk applies in Leeds
The council's Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (2022 update) sets out the main sources:
- The River AireThe Aire presents a flood risk to central Leeds and to Rodley, Newlay, Kirkstall, Knowsthorpe, Woodlesford, Lower Mickletown and Allerton Bywater. Flooding occurred along the whole river through Leeds in autumn 2000 and December 2015.
- The River WharfeThe Wharfe presents a flood risk to Otley, Collingham, Linton and Wetherby, and some properties in Boston Spa may be in the functional floodplain.
- The River Calder and the becksParts of the district flood from the Calder on its southern edge, and from becks including Meanwood Beck, Wyke Beck, Wortley Beck and Cock Beck.
- Surface water and sewersRecorded surface water flooding is concentrated in central Leeds, Burley and towns including Otley, Guiseley, Garforth, Kippax and Allerton Bywater. Sewer flooding is most common east of Leeds, around Garforth and Rothwell.
What Leeds City Council will look for
Leeds City Council applies the national tests in NPPF Chapter 18 and the Planning Practice Guidance, supported by its Strategic Flood Risk Assessment. A Sequential Test submitted with a Leeds application should normally:
- Confirm the flood zone and vulnerabilityUse the current Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning and the NPPF Annex F vulnerability class for the proposed use.
- Justify the area of searchNational policy says the area of search should reflect the catchment for the type of development and the need it serves. Leeds is a large district of city, towns and villages, so a whole-district search is not always the right catchment: for smaller schemes, the town or community served (for example the city centre, Otley, Wetherby or Morley) is usually more defensible.
- Assess the council's own sources of sitesthe Leeds Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (2025), with each site's status and phasing, covering sites with planning permission, Site Allocations Plan allocations and safeguarded land are the obvious places to start, and omitting them is a common reason for challenge.
- Evidence every discounted siteWhere an alternative is ruled out as unsuitable, too small or not available in a similar timeframe, give the reason and the evidence. Ownership alone is not enough.
- Screen for the Exception TestState whether the Exception Test applies under Annex F Table 3, and if it does, provide it, drawing on the site-specific flood risk assessment.
Leeds-specific pitfalls
- Relying on the flood alleviation schemeThe Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme reduces river flood risk to the city centre, but the Sequential Test uses flood zones as if defences were not there. Defences, and the residual risk behind them, are for the site-specific flood risk assessment.
- Using the SHLAAOur reports use the council's SHLAA, with its own status and phasing for each site (allocated, permitted, under construction, not deliverable or safeguarded), so alternatives are judged against the council's evidence.
- Brownfield registerLeeds' Brownfield Land Register has not been updated since 2022, so our reports leave it out and say so. The SHLAA already covers sites with planning permission and allocations.
- Small sitesThe SHLAA only maps sites above its size threshold. Smaller sites are treated as windfall, so for very small schemes further local alternatives may need to be considered.
Fixed-fee Sequential Tests for Leeds
We have built our Leeds Sequential Test on published Environment Agency and Leeds City Council data. Plot your site on our Leeds Sequential Test page and we'll deliver a submission-ready report within 24 hours of payment for £300. Exception Tests are £450 within 48 hours.
New to the subject? Start with our general guide: what is a flood risk Sequential Test? We also cover other council areas at the same fixed fee. For wider planning help, see planning consultants in Leeds.
Source: Leeds Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (2022 update, AECOM).
Sequential Test guides for other council areas
East Riding of Yorkshire · York · Hull · Bristol · Manchester · Birmingham · Chelmsford · Gateshead · Tameside · Runnymede · Wigan · Spelthorne · Oxford · Plymouth · Lichfield · Dover · Medway · Lewes District · Lewisham · East Suffolk · Nottingham · Hastings · Northumberland
Frequently asked questions
Does Leeds City Council require a Sequential Test?
Yes, for most development in Flood Zones 2 and 3, in line with national policy. Some minor development and most changes of use are exempt, and sites allocated in the local plan may not need the test repeated.
What area of search should I use in Leeds?
National policy says the area of search should reflect the catchment for the type of development and the need it serves. Leeds is a large district of city, towns and villages, so a whole-district search is not always the right catchment: for smaller schemes, the town or community served (for example the city centre, Otley, Wetherby or Morley) is usually more defensible. The reason must be explained in the report.
Do flood defences mean I don't need a Sequential Test?
No. Flood zones for the Sequential Test are assessed without defences. Defences are taken into account in the site-specific flood risk assessment and the Exception Test, not the Sequential Test.
How much does a Sequential Test cost in Leeds?
Our fixed fee for a Leeds flood risk Sequential Test or alternatives assessment is £300, delivered within 24 hours of payment. An Exception Test is £450, delivered within 48 hours.
This guide is general information for applications in England and is not advice on your specific project. Requirements differ in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and every council publishes its own local validation list, so always check the detail with your local planning authority.