Flood risk management

Managing flood risk from surface and ground water and ordinary watercourses

As a regulatory body (Lead Local Flood Authority), we have a duty to manage flood risk from surface water, groundwater and ordinary watercourses. An ordinary watercourse is any watercourse that is not a  main river managed by the Environment Agency.

Responsibilities include:

• co-ordinating the management of flood risk from these sources across Cheshire East, bringing together all the relevant stakeholders

• giving consent or otherwise for applications for any work within close proximity to or that may affect the flow of ordinary watercourses ( land drainage consent)
• acting as a statutory consultee on surface water drainage proposals for planning applications 
• recording and  investigating any significant flooding
• establishing and maintaining a  flood risk asset register

To tackle flood risk in an integrated way across the region, we are a member of the Cheshire Mid-Mersey local authority partnership.

Managing flood risk from other sources

We work in partnership with organisations and individuals responsible for managing flood risk from other sources. These include:

• the Environment Agency -  main rivers, reservoirs, estuaries and the sea
• United Utilities - sewerage and some surface water systems
• the Canal and River Trust
• businesses, landowners, householders and community groups

Assessing flood risk for planning and development decisions

The Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) are a statutory consultee for all major planning applications and also review and comment on many minor planning applications to they and ensure than development across Cheshire East does not increase flood risk to people or property in the development area or surrounding areas. More information on this can be found on our surface water management for new development page.

Flood risk management strategy

Our Flood Risk Management Strategy considers measures to help reduce flood risk, from better planning of new developments to ensuring emergency responders understand where the greatest risks are.The goal of the strategy is to make sure that flooding is managed effectively and addressed according to the level of risk.

The strategy includes:

• an assessment of flood risk
• the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved, including householders and community groups
• flood risk maps

See Cheshire East Strategic Flood Risk Assessment.

Flood risk management activities

To find out what flood risk management schemes and activities are happening in your area, see the Flood Hub interactive flood map.

Protecting your property from floods

You are responsible for protecting your own property from floods. See the Flood Hub to find out what you can do to prepare for floods and protect your property and the people in it. You can also submit an enquiry where we may be able to advice on potential Property Flood Resilience measures which could minimise the impact of a flood would have on your property or business.

If you have a watercourse on or next to your land

People with watercourses on or near to their land have particular flood risk management responsibilities for maintaining the free and unimpeded flow of water through the channel. Please see owning a watercourse for more information on this.

Flood risk asset register

We are compiling a register of physical features and structures in Cheshire East that help manage/ are poignant to flood risk with Cheshire East (flood risk management assets). 

Assets included within the register can be natural (walls, bunds, ponds etc), man-made, council owner or within private ownership, assets which are recorded within the register are subject to regular checks to ensure they are continuing to operate as they should and any maintenance requirements and noted.

GOV.UK gives information about the flood asset designation process.