The Planning System and Flood Risk Management - Offaly County ...

Chapter 5:Flooding and DevelopmentManagement35• Development management should follow the sequential approach in aimingto avoid development in areas at risk of flooding.• Applicants may need to submit an appropriate flood risk assessment withthe application and planning authorities should take this fully into accountin determining an application.• Only where development within flood risk areas, that would be defined asinappropriate under the screening process set out in paragraphs 3.6 and 3.7,is considered to be necessary to meet the objectives of proper planning andsustainable development, and no alternative sites of lower risk are availablefor the development, should that development be subject to the JustificationTest.• Many of the flood risk issues should have been raised within strategicassessments undertaken by local authorities at the plan-making stage.Therefore, as more plans are reviewed and zoning reconsidered, there willbe less need for development management to consider the wider applicationof the sequential approach.• Pending the introduction of development plans consistent with theseguidelines, planning authorities should follow the advice of section 5.24.• When development plans are consistent with these guidelines, a greater focuswill then be directed towards siting and design issues that minimise floodrisk to the development, manage residual risks to an acceptable level andavoid adverse impacts elsewhere. Where a strategic flood risk assessmenthas not been completed, there is potential for planning applications submittedthrough the development management process to be considered as premature.The role of good development management5.1 These guidelines aim to achieve best practice in dealing with flooding indevelopment management. Development management for flooding shouldbe based on sound strategy, policies and objectives within the developmentplan and LAP where appropriate, which set out the basis for consideringplanning applications in principle and in detail. Efficient processes andcommunications will be required to ensure full consideration of flooding.Where the development plan or LAP has been adopted before publication ofthese guidelines and is yet to be reviewed in their light, planning authoritiesPlanning Guidelines