Flood risk management

Managing flood risk from surface and ground water and ordinary watercourses

As a regulatory body (Lead Local Flood Authority), we have a duty to manage flood risk from surface water, groundwater and ordinary watercourses. An ordinary watercourse is any watercourse that is not a  main river managed by the Environment Agency.

Responsibilities include:

• co-ordinating the management of flood risk from these sources across Cheshire East, bringing together all the relevant organisations and individuals

• giving consent or otherwise for applications for any work that may affect the flow of ordinary watercourses ( land drainage consent)
• acting as a statutory consultee on surface water drainage proposals for planning applications 
• recording and  investigating any significant flooding
• establishing and maintaining a  flood risk asset register

To tackle flood risk in an integrated way across the region, we are a member of the  Cheshire Mid-Mersey local authority partnership.

Managing flood risk from other sources

We work in partnership with organisations and individuals responsible for managing flood risk from other sources. These include:

• the Environment Agency -  main rivers, reservoirs, estuaries and the sea
• United Utilities - sewerage systems
• the Canal and River Trust
• businesses, householders and community groups 

Assessing flood risk for planning and development decisions

We assess flood risk across the borough as part of our duty to take flood risk into account in the planning and development process. For reports and other documents, see strategic flood risk assessment. For details about the requirements for sustainable drainage in new planning applications, see surface water management and new developments

Flood risk management strategy

Our Flood Risk Management Strategy considers measures to help reduce flood risk, from better planning of new development to ensuring emergency responders understand where the greatest risks are.The goal of the strategy is to make sure that flooding is managed effectively and addressed according to the level of risk.

The strategy includes:

• an assessment of flood risk
• the roles and responsibilities of everyone involved, including householders and community groups
• flood risk maps

See  Flood Risk Management Strategy (PDF, 4.2MB).

Flood risk management activities

To find out what flood risk management schemes and activities are happening in your area, see the Flood Hub interactive flood.

Protecting your property from floods

You are responsible for protecting your own property from floods. See the Flood Hub to find out what you can do to prepare for floods and protect your property and the people in it. We don't normally provide sandbags.

If you have a watercourse on or next to your land

People with watercourses on or near to their land have particular flood risk management responsibilities. See owning a watercourse.

Flood risk asset register

We are compiling a register of all physical features and structures in Cheshire East that help manage the risk of flooding (flood risk management assets). 

Flood risk management assets can be any natural or man-made structure or feature, such as walls,drains, ditches, buildings, earth embankments, shingle banks, or raised areas of land.

GOV.UK gives information about the  flood asset designation process.

For information about the Cheshire East flood risk asset register or about an asset on your property, email: flood.investigation@cheshireeast.gov.uk