Local flood risk management strategy

As the LLFA (lead local flood authority), we have a duty to develop a local flood risk management strategy for Luton.

The overarching aim of the strategy is to:

• enable the long term management of flooding arising from rivers, surface water and groundwater in the borough
• communicate the risks and consequences of flooding to our residents

We've collaborated with other flood risk authorities including the Environment Agency and Thames Water to develop the Luton flood risk management strategy (not accessible to users of assistive technology).

Please note: a new and accessible strategy will be published in 2023/24.

Preliminary flood risk assessment

Under the flood risk regulations (2009) all LLFAs are required to prepare a preliminary flood risk assessment (PFRA) report. This is a high level screening exercise to identify areas of significant risk as indicative flood risk areas across England where 30,000 people or more are at risk from flooding for reporting to Europe.

Accordingly, Luton is not classified as an indicative flood risk areas.

Strategic flood risk assessment (SFRA)

The Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 (PCPA 2004) requires local planning authorities to produce local development frameworks (LDFs). LDFs are a portfolio of documents that collectively deliver the spatial planning strategy for a council administered area. SFRAs form part of the evidence base that should be used in the review of LDFs or in their production.

The results of the level 1 SFRA should enable us to clearly identify where development is appropriate according to chapter 14 of the National Planning Policy Framework.

Luton level 1 SFRA update