Where flood risk applies in Nottingham
The Greater Nottingham Strategic Flood Risk Assessments (2008 and 2010) and their 2017 addendum describe the main sources:
- The River TrentNottingham has a long history of flooding, with anecdotal records going back to 1683. After the floods of 2000 the Environment Agency studied the whole Trent, leading to the Nottingham Trent Left Bank Flood Alleviation Scheme.
- The Left Bank defencesCompleted in 2012 at a cost of £45 million, the scheme raised the defences along 27 km of the Trent from Sawley to Colwick to at least a 1 in 100 year standard, reducing flood risk to around 16,000 homes and businesses.
- The River Leen and Day BrookThe River Leen and the Day Brook have their own SFRA (2008), refreshed by the 2017 addendum, which supplied updated modelling and flood outlines for the Greater Nottingham area.
- Residual riskBehind raised defences, land remains at residual risk if a flood exceeds the defences' standard of protection or a defence fails, which is why the Environment Agency's flood zones ignore defences.
What Nottingham City Council will look for
Nottingham 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 Nottingham 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. For larger schemes in Nottingham that is usually the whole city; for smaller schemes, the neighbourhood or centre served is often more defensible.
- Assess the council's own sources of sitesthe Nottingham Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (2026), with the council's own conclusion on each site, and the Land and Planning Policies (2020) site allocations 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.
Nottingham-specific pitfalls
- Reliance on defencesMuch of the city behind the Trent is defended, but the Sequential Test uses flood zones as if the defences were not there. The defences matter for the site-specific flood risk assessment, not for choosing between sites.
- Using the SHLAAOur reports use the council's 2026 SHLAA, with its own conclusion on each site's suitability and availability, so alternatives are judged against the council's evidence rather than ours.
- Brownfield registerNottingham's Brownfield Land Register has not been updated since 2023, so our reports leave it out and say so. The SHLAA already covers brownfield land and sites with planning permission.
- AllocationsThe Land and Planning Policies (2020) allocations are included, linked to their SHLAA entries where the council has assessed them.
Fixed-fee Sequential Tests for Nottingham
We have built our Nottingham Sequential Test on published Environment Agency and Nottingham City Council data. Plot your site on our Nottingham 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 Nottingham.
Source: Greater Nottingham Strategic Flood Risk Assessment Addendum (AECOM, 2017).
Sequential Test guides for other council areas
Bristol · Manchester · Birmingham · Chelmsford · Gateshead · Tameside · Runnymede · East Riding of Yorkshire · Wigan · York · Spelthorne · Oxford · Plymouth · Lichfield · Dover · Hull · Medway · Lewes District · Lewisham · East Suffolk · Hastings · Leeds · Northumberland
Frequently asked questions
Does Nottingham 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 Nottingham?
National policy says the area of search should reflect the catchment for the type of development and the need it serves. For larger schemes in Nottingham that is usually the whole city; for smaller schemes, the neighbourhood or centre served is often 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 Nottingham?
Our fixed fee for a Nottingham 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.