Where flood risk applies in Wealden
The council has two Strategic Flood Risk Assessments, one for the north of the district (2026) and one shared with Eastbourne for the south (2025). They set out the main sources:
- The Pevensey LevelsRiver flood risk is most notable on the Pevensey Levels, posing a risk to Hailsham, Westham and Pevensey. With sea level rise, Flood Zone 3 is predicted to extend further inland, covering all of the Levels and threatening Hailsham.
- The Medway, Uck, Cuckmere and Shortbridge StreamThese rivers also pose a flood risk to towns including Uckfield, Crowborough, Forest Row, Horam, Hailsham and Polegate, as well as large rural areas.
- Pevensey BayThe coast at Pevensey Bay is defended by a large shingle ridge to a 1 in 400 year standard, but there is still a residual risk of tidal flooding if the defences fail, and a risk from waves overtopping them.
- Surface water, sewers and groundwaterRecorded flooding incidents are highest around Forest Row, Crowborough, Uckfield, Heathfield, Lower Horsebridge and Wadhurst. Herstmonceux and Hailsham have the most recorded sewer flooding, and large areas in the north and south of the district are areas of groundwater concern.
What Wealden District Council will look for
Wealden District 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 Wealden 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. Wealden is a large, largely rural district with five market towns, so a whole-district search is not always the right catchment: for smaller schemes, the town or village served (for example Crowborough, Hailsham, Uckfield, Heathfield or Polegate) is usually more defensible.
- Assess the council's own sources of sitesthe Wealden Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessment (September 2026), with the council's conclusion on each site, including sites with planning permission 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.
Wealden-specific pitfalls
- The council's own flood zonesWealden's Strategic Flood Risk Assessments map flood zones that combine the Environment Agency's map with local river and tidal modelling. Our reports use the Environment Agency's flood zones and flag where the council's maps should be checked.
- Using the SHELAAOur reports use the council's September 2026 SHELAA, with its own conclusion on each site (deliverable, developable, not deliverable or developable, or with planning permission), so alternatives are judged against the council's evidence.
- Brownfield registerWealden's Brownfield Land Register has not been updated since 2024, so our reports leave it out and say so. The SHELAA already covers brownfield land and sites with planning permission.
- A new Local Plan in preparationThe council has published its proposed submission Local Plan. Its proposed allocations are not used until the plan reaches examination.
Fixed-fee Sequential Tests for Wealden
We have built our Wealden Sequential Test on published Environment Agency and Wealden District Council data. Plot your site on our Wealden 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 Wealden.
Source: North Wealden Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (JBA, 2026).
Sequential Test guides for other council areas
Runnymede · Spelthorne · Oxford · Dover · Medway · Lewes District · Hastings · Bristol · Manchester · Birmingham · Chelmsford · Gateshead · Tameside · East Riding of Yorkshire · Wigan · York · Plymouth · Lichfield · Hull · Lewisham · East Suffolk · Nottingham · Leeds · Northumberland
Frequently asked questions
Does Wealden District 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 Wealden?
National policy says the area of search should reflect the catchment for the type of development and the need it serves. Wealden is a large, largely rural district with five market towns, so a whole-district search is not always the right catchment: for smaller schemes, the town or village served (for example Crowborough, Hailsham, Uckfield, Heathfield or Polegate) 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 Wealden?
Our fixed fee for a Wealden 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.