LC 00364

A total of four pilots focused on improving flood proof design and planning at property and neighborhood level. The Belgian pilots (Ninove, Geraardsbergen and Denderleeuw) aimed to enhance the zoning of urban developments in flood prone areas. The Butt Green Shield (UK) and Ninove pilots focused on reducing surface flood risk from extreme rainfall via increasing storage capacity in private and public space. These are the lessons learnt from those pilots.

Look for synergies and use existing networks. The areas that are frequently affected  by floods might have already a group focusing on flood risk management actions.  If the area does not frequently flood, it can be helpful to try and build on already existing social networks in the area such as drinking water companies, road management agencies, and social housing companies. For example, in Ninove, the Flemish Government worked together with social housing and citizens to develop  Vision and Action Plans with specific spatial adaptation measures for a flood proof neighbourhood. As a result, the water element was integrated at every level of the spatial management planning and specific responsibilities were defined among the public, civic and private actors depending on their location in the water system.

Take the flood risk governance context into account. The political (in)stability of the flood risk governance context and the actors agenda should be carefully considered when starting up a pilot project and/or implementing MLS measures. For instance, the start of the pilot project in Ninove was conditioned by the instability of the political local context resulting in awareness raising of the political representatives of the City of Ninove;. Considering that MLS actions are depending on different levels of scale (local, regional, national, EU) and many actors, context and stakeholder analysis needs to have a multilevel and multi-actor focus.

Include local knowledge when making a flood risk assessment of the area. All risks and issues should be considered in the development of the project scope. The pilot projects implementing water retention measures NFM, water butts or raised flower beds) conducted flood risk assessment by combining modelling and discussions with local authorities and communities. The purpose was not only to find out the risk areas, but also support and local knowledge in  deciding about the location to install water retention measures. ( E.g. in the Geraardsbergen pilot, the neighborhood committees provided information on flood risk mitigation at property level. In the Ninove pilot there was a close cooperation with the local authorities, social housing company and citizens to inform them on MLS and get input from them on flood mitigation actions for their own property.

Demonstrate the added value of using water storage measures in FRM. In FRAMES, pilot projects provided sufficient evidence about the effectiveness of water storage measures in FRM to reduce surface flood impacts resulting from extreme rainfall. Water butts or raised flowers bed at household level or NFM at catchment level, can also reduce flood impacts for people and areas when implemented at a wider scale, either catchment or neighbourhood level. The use of these solutions at a wider scale is a new strategy in the United Kingdom.