EA Flood Map for Planning: What the May 2026 Update Means for Your Site

FPS Environmental | June 2026

On 28 May 2026, the Environment Agency updated the Flood Map for Planning (FMfP) service with new surface water flood risk data. The update adds climate change extents and banded depth information that were not previously available on the platform. For developers, planners, and flood risk consultants, this is a significant change that affects how surface water flood risk should be assessed for planning purposes.

Key Takeaways

• New surface water climate change extents (upper-end, 2070s epoch) and banded depth data are now live on the Flood Map for Planning.
• The Check Your Long Term Flood Risk surface water layers should no longer be used for development planning.
• The new data may affect live applications where surface water flood risk was previously assessed or dismissed.
• Flood Zones and existing present day surface water extents remain unchanged.
• The EA’s statutory consultee role covers river and sea flooding only. Surface water is an LPA and LLFA responsibility.
• Check your GIS tools are pulling live data feeds rather than static downloads.

What Has Been Added to the Flood Map for Planning?

The update adds two new types of data to the service:

Surface water climate change extents

These show the area at risk of surface water flooding under the upper-end (95th percentile) climate change allowance, modelled to the 2070s epoch (2061 to 2125). This is the same time horizon used for river and sea flood risk assessments in line with the EA’s Flood Risk Assessment: Climate Change Allowances guidance.

Banded depth information

Depth data is now available in seven bands: below 150mm, 150 to 300mm, 300 to 600mm, 600 to 900mm, 900 to 1,200mm, 1,200 to 2,300mm, and above 2,300mm. Depths are provided for the 3.3%, 1%, and 0.1% annual exceedance probability (AEP) events under both present day and climate change scenarios.

The existing Flood Zones and present day surface water extents already on the service remain unchanged. The new datasets are also available to download from the Defra Data Services Platform for use in GIS tools.

Why Is This Update Important?

Before this update, the EA’s guidance was to use surface water flood risk information from the Check Your Long Term Flood Risk (CYLTFR) service when carrying out flood risk assessments for planning. That was acknowledged as a workaround. The data on CYLTFR used a central (50th percentile) climate change scenario to the 2050s epoch, which falls short of what is required for most planning applications. The depth information available on CYLTFR was also not well suited to planning use.
The new FMfP datasets address both of those shortcomings directly. They use the correct climate change scenario and time horizon, and provide granular depth data that can inform flood risk assessments, sequential test work, SuDS design, and strategic flood risk assessments. In short, the planning system now has fit-for-purpose surface water climate change data in one place.

What Should You Stop Using?

The EA is clear on this point. Now that the new datasets are live, the surface water layers on Check Your Long Term Flood Risk should no longer be used for development planning. The specific layers to remove from GIS tools are:
• Risk of flooding from surface water: present day extents and depths
• Risk of flooding from surface water: climate change extents and depths

The EA recommends using data feeds to access FMfP layers so that your tools always display the most current version.

What Does This Mean for Live Planning Applications?

The EA advises that the new datasets should be used as soon as they are published. For live applications, local planning authorities will need to consider how to manage the transition on a case by case basis. There are two scenarios worth flagging:

• Sites not previously at risk. If a site that was not previously within a surface water flood risk area now falls within one under the new data, this may trigger a new requirement for a flood risk assessment and, where applicable, the sequential test.
• Existing assessments. Where an application is already in progress and a flood risk assessment, sequential test, or SuDS design has been prepared using the old data, that work may need to be updated to reflect the new information.

It is worth reviewing any live applications that include surface water flood risk considerations to understand whether the new data changes the position.

A note on the EA’s role: the Environment Agency is not a statutory consultee on surface water flood risk. Its flood risk advice to planning authorities remains focused on river and sea flooding. Surface water flood risk sits with lead local flood authorities (LLFAs) and local planning authorities (LPAs).

What Else Has Changed Recently?

The May 2026 update is the latest in a series of changes to national flood risk data. The Flood Zones and Flood Zones plus climate change layers were updated in November 2025, with a further data update in May 2026. If you access these layers via GIS tools rather than data feeds, it is worth checking you are using the most recent version.
The EA and TCPA have also published updated supporting guidance alongside the 28 May update, including revised guidance on how to use FMfP data, the National Flood Risk Standing Advice for LPAs, and updated guidance for developers and consultants on applying for planning permission where flood risk is a consideration.

FAQs on Surface Water Mapping Update

Q: What changed on the Flood Map for Planning in May 2026?

The Environment Agency added new surface water climate change extents and banded depth information to the Flood Map for Planning service on 28 May 2026. These datasets use the upper-end (95th percentile) climate change scenario to the 2070s epoch, which is the appropriate standard for planning applications.

Q: Should I still use Check Your Long Term Flood Risk for development planning?

No. The EA advises that the surface water flood risk layers on Check Your Long Term Flood Risk should be removed from GIS tools used for development planning. The Flood Map for Planning now provides more appropriate data for planning purposes.

Q: Does this update affect the Flood Zones?

No. The Flood Zones and present day surface water extents on the Flood Map for Planning are unchanged by this update.

Q: Will I need to update my flood risk assessment because of this change?

It depends on your site and the stage of your application. If your site is now shown within a surface water flood risk area under the new data, or if you have an existing assessment based on CYLTFR data, it is worth reviewing whether an update is needed. Contact your flood risk consultant or local planning authority for guidance.