Recent Environment Agency Updates

April 8, 2025

Since December 2024, the Environment Agency (EA) have released a series of flood and coastal erosion risk assessment updates, offering a clearer, more comprehensive picture of both current and future flood risk across England.


What makes these updates so important?


With approximately 6.3 million properties in England at risk of flooding and 3,500 properties at risk of coastal erosion by 2055, these updates are absolutely critical in order for you to protect and enhance your developments against the threat of climate change and extreme weather events.


Whether a commercial or residential development, Envireau Water specialise in flood risk management and sustainable drainage solutions across the UK. By leveraging our technical expertise and deep knowledge of the UK regulatory system, we are known for achieving a positive outcome for even the most complex of challenges.


Keep reading to find out what these updates mean for you.

January 28th, 2025: To kick off the year, the EA released the latest flood risk and coastal erosion mapping for England . Given the detrimental impacts faced from climate change across the country, both the National Flood Risk Assessment (NaFRA) and National Coastal Erosion Risk Management (NCERM) now account for the latest climate projections - helping developers to make decisions about the location and design of new developments.


You can explore the latest flood risk mapping here: https://lnkd.in/efqTs2ym



February 12th, 2025: The EA released an updated Working with Natural Processes Evidence Directory, summarising the latest research on 17 natural flood management (NFM) measures. Covering everything from river and flood plain management to coastal and estuarine solutions, this update is not only key to strengthening confidence in Natural Flood Management (NFM), but also provides a solid foundation for future investment decisions and the selection of effective flood risk measures.


You can learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eNHq-A-G



March 25th, 2025:  Most recently, a new Flood Map for Planning was released, including a clearer picture of both current and future flood risks alongside higher resolution maps to help identify and understand where there is risk. These changes could significantly impact your planning strategy and site design making it essential to reassess the flood risk of your site.


Find out how this may impact your development here: https://lnkd.in/eHhWFJNi



If you still have questions or concerns about your development and would like to discuss your project, get in touch at info@envireauwater.co.uk. We're here to help!




About Envireau Water


Envireau Water is a team of expert water scientists and engineers who provide guidance on the management and regulation of natural water systems across the UK. By working collaboratively with out clients and the regulators, we deliver robust, sustainable solutions that meet the requirements of all stakeholders. With a loyal client base and our ability to work seamlessly throughout the four nations of the UK, many of our clients know us individually and trust us to find resolutions to their water problems for years to come. 

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Protecting UK agriculture against a changing climate

By Rachael Plant • October 23, 2025
As the threat of climate change continues to increase, the frequency of extreme weather events is rising across the UK. With wetter winters but warmer, drier summers expected to persist, the risk of drought will grow, creating significant challenges nationwide. While the UK climate can be unpredictable, the impact of drought is evident and cannot be ignored. Following several drought declarations and water restrictions enforced throughout 2025, farmers across the UK continue to contend with drained reservoir levels and heightened demand for irrigation, resulting in lower crop yields, fragile water sources, and growing concern about the future of British agriculture. Our team of water resource experts has been working within the agricultural industry for many years, supporting the implementation and management of sustainable water resources. We asked Principal Water Resources Specialist, Tamsin Morey , for her thoughts. Tamsin, what danger is the UK farming industry already experiencing?

Richmond Bike Park Success

By Rachael Plant • September 25, 2025
Envireau Water are thrilled to have contributed to the recent successful planning application for the construction of a community bike park in Richmond, North Yorkshire. Louise Raine, a local to the area, first set up the campaign after realising there were no 'safe and purpose-built spaces' for her children and other families. In collaboration with the local community and town council, Envireau Water volunteered to provide high-level technical support on flood risk and drainage solutions, following concerns raised by a lead regulatory authority. Hydrologists, Mairi , Lee , and Michael conducted a review of flood risk, drainage pathways and soil infiltration potential. Upon developing the drainage strategy and producing pre- and post-development 2D runoff modelling, it was discovered that the proposed location had no significant risk. By investigating the soil types and overland flow pathways, it was also noted that the suggested drainage strategy would have both a flood risk benefit and an environmental benefit of enhancing the ecology and biodiversity of the land.

Anna Hitchmough joins Envireau Water

By Rachael Plant • July 22, 2025
We are excited to welcome Dr Anna Hitchmough to our growing team, who recently joined Envireau Water as a Principal Technical Specialist. With over 25 years of consultancy experience in hydrogeology, Anna brings a wealth of expertise to our team. Anna joins us from Carbon Zero Consulting/RSK Geosciences, where her career has centred around ground-source heat pump systems. In her most recent role, Anna chaired RSK's Heat Decarbonisation Working Group and Hydrogeology Working Group. Anna brings extensive experience in quantitative risk assessments and NAPL characterisation and has completed significant work on several contaminated land projects, having previously served as Chair of the Geological Society's Contaminated Land Group. Anna's academic background stems from the University of Newcastle where she completed an MSc in Hydrology, followed by a PhD in Hydrogeology at the University of Birmingham. She is also a chartered geologist.
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Protecting UK agriculture against a changing climate

By Rachael Plant • October 23, 2025
As the threat of climate change continues to increase, the frequency of extreme weather events is rising across the UK. With wetter winters but warmer, drier summers expected to persist, the risk of drought will grow, creating significant challenges nationwide. While the UK climate can be unpredictable, the impact of drought is evident and cannot be ignored. Following several drought declarations and water restrictions enforced throughout 2025, farmers across the UK continue to contend with drained reservoir levels and heightened demand for irrigation, resulting in lower crop yields, fragile water sources, and growing concern about the future of British agriculture. Our team of water resource experts has been working within the agricultural industry for many years, supporting the implementation and management of sustainable water resources. We asked Principal Water Resources Specialist, Tamsin Morey , for her thoughts. Tamsin, what danger is the UK farming industry already experiencing?

Richmond Bike Park Success

By Rachael Plant • September 25, 2025
Envireau Water are thrilled to have contributed to the recent successful planning application for the construction of a community bike park in Richmond, North Yorkshire. Louise Raine, a local to the area, first set up the campaign after realising there were no 'safe and purpose-built spaces' for her children and other families. In collaboration with the local community and town council, Envireau Water volunteered to provide high-level technical support on flood risk and drainage solutions, following concerns raised by a lead regulatory authority. Hydrologists, Mairi , Lee , and Michael conducted a review of flood risk, drainage pathways and soil infiltration potential. Upon developing the drainage strategy and producing pre- and post-development 2D runoff modelling, it was discovered that the proposed location had no significant risk. By investigating the soil types and overland flow pathways, it was also noted that the suggested drainage strategy would have both a flood risk benefit and an environmental benefit of enhancing the ecology and biodiversity of the land.

Anna Hitchmough joins Envireau Water

By Rachael Plant • July 22, 2025
We are excited to welcome Dr Anna Hitchmough to our growing team, who recently joined Envireau Water as a Principal Technical Specialist. With over 25 years of consultancy experience in hydrogeology, Anna brings a wealth of expertise to our team. Anna joins us from Carbon Zero Consulting/RSK Geosciences, where her career has centred around ground-source heat pump systems. In her most recent role, Anna chaired RSK's Heat Decarbonisation Working Group and Hydrogeology Working Group. Anna brings extensive experience in quantitative risk assessments and NAPL characterisation and has completed significant work on several contaminated land projects, having previously served as Chair of the Geological Society's Contaminated Land Group. Anna's academic background stems from the University of Newcastle where she completed an MSc in Hydrology, followed by a PhD in Hydrogeology at the University of Birmingham. She is also a chartered geologist.

Hannah Muir joins Envireau Water

By Rachael Plant • July 10, 2025
We're always excited to see our team grow, and we are thrilled to welcome Hannah to the team. Hannah joined our Scotland office at the end of June to gain some hydrogeological experience alongside completing her university studies, and we look forward to welcoming her officially in September where she will begin her career as a Hydrogeologist. Prior to joining, Hannah completed a BSc in Environmental Sciences at University of Glasgow and is currently working towards completing an MSc in Hydrogeology at the University of Strathclyde. During her masters and undergraduate degree, Hannah has participated in various fieldwork activities where she developed an in-depth understanding of applied hydrology, soil analysis and mapping techniques.
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