Delivering a more resilient Wales
James Morris
Head of Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management
Welsh Government
ICE 2017
Building Resilience through
Flood and Coastal Risk Management
• Wellbeing Objectives and Flood Risk Management
• Policy and National Strategy Improvements
• Wider Benefits and collaborative working
• Flood Programme going forward
Well-being goals
• Some are obvious for flood
risk management work:
o more resilient Wales
o healthier Wales
o prosperous Wales
o cohesive communities
• All 7 have links to flood risk management
• The 5 ‘ways of working’ under the Act also relate to FCERM
Well-being Objectives (2016)
• Support safe, cohesive and resilient communities
• Manage, use and enhance Wales’ natural resources to
support long-term wellbeing.
• Support the transition to a low carbon and climate
resilient society
• Connect communities through sustainable and resilient
infrastructure
http://gov.wales/docs/caecd/publications/161104-well-being-a-en.pdf
Policy and Strategy improvements
• Review of National Flood and Coastal Strategy
• New Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee
• New Flood Programme Board (est. Dec 2016)
• Improved Flood Mapping for Wales
• Introducing a National Flood Asset Database
• Review of TAN 15
Flood and Coastal Erosion Committee
• Advise on all FCERM matters
• Not tied to NRWs programme – wider
remit including National Strategy
• Drafting regulations on membership
Setting up summer 2017
• Mix of public appointments and
representation from sector
• Will link to the Coastal Groups
Appraisal and Asset Database
• New Project Appraisal Guidance launching this summer
• Scalable Business Case approach
• Capture wider benefits and wellbeing
• National Flood Asset Database
• Asset register required under legislation
• National database and GIS brings all data together
• Understanding of asset ownership and resilience
• Prioritise maintenance
• Better understanding and mapping of risk
• Better planning and investment decisions
Flood Mapping Improvements
• Improved Flood Map for Wales including planning advice
• Risk and hazard mapping crucial to addressing risk
• Improved info on assets helps give full picture
• Benefit realisation – map reductions in risk
• Financial benefits to the public
• Clearer mapping – better awareness of risk
• One place for info – including flood map for planning
TAN 15 and Planning Policy
• Review of TAN15 – Development and
Flood Risk
• Aligning Flood Map and Development
Advice Map
• Update of TAN 15 to make it clearer
• Scoping underway on categories of risk,
climate change, surface water, SuDS,
SMPs, and wellbeing
• Strengthen policy where needed
Revising the National Strategy for
FCERM in Wales
• Key objectives to remain around resilient
communities and reducing risk to life
• Encourage wellbeing benefits and wider
catchment approach
• Natural Flood Management and hybrid
schemes
• Clarity on roles and responsibilities
• Realising benefits from investment
• Coastal Adaptation guidance later in 2018
Collaboration and better investment
• Collaboration / partnering other infrastructure projects
• Wider benefits - improving areas through flood investment
• Benefits to homes, businesses, infrastructure, health,
biodiversity… justifies investment
• Flood Risk Management builds resilience in other ways:
• awareness-raising
• forecasting,
• risk mapping,
• planning and response.
Collaboration and better investment
Colwyn Bay Waterfront
Major coastal adaptation
integrated with regeneration
and amenity improvements
Pontarddulais
Working with landowners to
create flood storage upstream
from the village, holding back
water during storm events
Wider Benefits
Rhydyfelin, RCT
Before
Flood storage area and channel
improvements
Improved access to watercourse
Refurbishment of football club
After
Programme Improvements
• Longer term capital funding package 5 year £145m
• Additional £150m Coastal Risk Management Programme
• New Project Appraisal Guidance
• Better prioritisation using CaRR and business cases
• FCERM Programme Board established Dec 2016
• Rapid Funding for Small Scale Schemes
Coastal Risk Management Programme
• 39 potential coastal risk and adaptation schemes
• Next stage is progressing to detailed design
• 5 million earmarked for design work this year prior to
£150 million construction programme
To conclude…
• Further improvements to policy and programme planned
• National Strategy and coastal adaptation guidance
• Push for wider benefits in business cases for all schemes
• Risk management is not just defences – encouraging
innovative schemes, adaptation, catchment approaches
and natural flood management.
• Resilient communities fundamental to long-term wellbeing
Thank You/Diolch