Draft National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England

Closed 4 Jul 2019

Opened 9 May 2019

Results updated 28 Sep 2020

Introduction

The Environment Agency consulted with the public, partners and businesses on the Draft National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England. The main purpose of the consultation was to focus on what we can do as a nation over the next 10 to 30 years to help support the longer term flood risk management ambitions for change needed by 2100.

How we ran the consultation

The Environment Agency launched the consultation on 9 May online and via GOV.UK for 8 weeks.

We received a total of 400 responses, of which 345 were online responses from external stakeholders. We also received 55 responses from stakeholders who commented on our proposals but did not answer the consultation questions directly. We have taken account of all these responses wherever relevant and alongside the online responses to our specific questions. Of the 400 responses, we received 130 responses to the questions on the draft strategic environmental assessment (SEA) environmental report. One of the respondents commented on the draft habitats regulations assessment (HRA) report.

Summary of key findings and actions we will take

The overall feedback from the consultation was that respondents welcomed the ambition, objectives and measures in the draft Strategy. The divergence of opinion was primarily in relation to the scale of 'agreement' with the proposals, rather than there being 'no agreement'. We see this as a really positive reflection of how we developed the draft Strategy with partners.

We have published the consultation response document on gov.uk.

Next Steps

Following public consultation we have revised the Draft National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy for England. The Secretary of State took this revised strategy before Parliament on 14 July 2020 and after sitting in Parliament for 40 sitting days, the Strategy is now adopted and published on gov.uk.

 

Files:

Published responses

View submitted responses where consent has been given to publish the response.

Overview

Flooding of any kind is horrendous. Erosion destroys. Flooding events are dirty, invasive, damaging, and they can kill. They can force people to leave their homes and their businesses, cause prolonged mental ill health, destroy livelihoods and natural habitats.

The Environment Agency has been leading a conversation with people and organisations who are affected by or work to manage flooding and coastal change. We are now consulting on a draft strategy, which sets out a vision for a nation ready for, and resilient to, flooding and coastal change – today, tomorrow and to the year 2100.

Why your views matter

The Environment Agency wants your views on the draft strategy which aims to create a nation resilient to flooding and coastal change to the year 2100. This consultation is focused on what we can do as a nation over the next 10 to 30 years to help support the longer term ambitions for change needed by 2100.

Responding To The Consultation

The consultation has closed.  We are no longer accepting new responses to this consultation in any format. This page is now for information only.

Please click on the 'Online Consultation' link below to answer the consultation questions. Submitting your responses online will help us gather and summarise responses quickly, accurately and cost effectively.

However, if you prefer, you can submit your response by email or post using our response form, which can be downloaded by clicking on the following link: Consultation Response Form

Please note that following the start of the consultation on 9 May, some further technical amendments have been made to the SEA environmental report. These have been included in the amended SEA Environmental Report.

Consultation Documents

Please click on the individual links above to download each document.

The Draft National Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy includes a glossary which may be useful to you when responding to the consultation.

A draft Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) is available to download above. If you wish to comment on the draft HRA please send any comments by email to FCERMstrategy@environment-agency.gov.uk

More information about the HRA is available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/draft-national-flood-and-coastal-erosion-risk-management-strategy-for-england

What happens next

We will collate and analyse all responses to this consultation and aim to publish the final national FCERM strategy for England in 2020.

Audiences

  • Anyone from any background

Interests

  • Business and industry
  • Flood management
  • Coastal management
  • Water resources
  • Water quality
  • Drought
  • Habitats and wildlife