Policy Statement: Appraisal of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management

Defra’s Policy Statement on Appraisal of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management contains policies and outlines guidance for operating authorities and others involved in managing flood and coastal erosion risk.

• Policy Statement on Appraisal of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management

Detailed Project Appraisal Guidance

More detailed technical guidance on how to do appraisals in accordance with the Defra Policy Statement has been produced by the Environment Agency.  The new Guidance (FCERM-AG) replaces the previously flood and coastal defence project appraisal guidance FCDPAG series published by Defra between 1999 and 2001.  Details of how Operating Authorities in England and Wales should use this new guidance and any transitional arrangements for ongoing appraisals can be downloaded from the Environment Agency website:

• Appraisal Guidance
• Supporting Guidance

Supplementary Guidance

Supplementary guidance on specific subjects, which are still in force, are listed below:

• Treatment of agricultural land (PDF 100 KB) provides an update on the valuation of agricultural land – May 2008

• Risk to people guidance (PDF 170 KB) covers a method for the valuation of the risk to life associated with flood risks - May 2008
• Interim Guidance Note (PDF 160KB) takes account of Defra’s policy on socio-economic equity and appraisal of human-related intangible impacts of flooding – July 2004
• Interim Guidance Note (PDF 235 KB) on how changes in HM Treasury guidance Appraisal and Evaluation in Central Government (the ‘Green Book’) should be applied to appraisal of flood and coastal erosion risk management projects – March 2003
• Coastal Squeeze Guidance (PDF 50 KB) on the appraisal and assessment of plans and projects in areas where there is an ongoing loss of habitat in European sites due to a combination of flood risk management and sea level rise –  September 2005

Shoreline Management Plans

Guidance on the preparation of second generation Shoreline Management Plans (SMP) aims to make sure the current review SMPs take advantage of the best aspects of the first generation of SMPs and are developed consistently with other policy objectives. SMPs produced following this guidance will outline the strategic direction for coastal management units, following an in-depth and robust assessment of economic, environmental and social factors.

• Shoreline Management Plan Guidance

Policy Evaluation of Catchment Flood Management Plans

Defra commissioned and published an independent policy evaluation of the first generation of Catchment Flood Management Plans produced by the Environment Agency in 2010.

• Policy evaluation of the first generation catchment flood management plans (PDF 3 MB)
• Environment Agency response to Catchment Flood Management Plans report (PDF 200 KB)
• Catchment Flood Management Plans