1. Програма за ТГС по ИПП
България – Сърбия
Exemplary implementation of the risk information in local spatial
planning
Key Planning Objectives
The aims of planning policy on development and flood risk are to ensure that
flood risk is taken into account at all stages in the planning process to avoid inappropriate
development in areas at risk of flooding, and to direct development away from areas at
highest risk.
Where new development is, exceptionally, necessary in such areas, policy aims
to make it safe without increasing flood risk elsewhere and where possible, reducing
flood risk overall.
Regional planning bodies (RPBs) and local planning authorities (LPAs) as the
municipalities of Godech (Republic of Bulgaria) and Dimitrovgrad (Republic of Serbia)
should prepare and implement planning strategies that help to deliver sustainable
development by:
Risk assessment
• identifying land at risk and the degree of risk of flooding from river, sea and
other sources in their areas;
• preparing Regional Flood Risk assessments (RFRAs) or Strategic Flood Risk
Assessments (SFRAs) if appropriate, as freestanding assessments that contribute to the
Sustainability assessment of the plans;
Risk management
• includes framework policies for regional development which avoid flood risk
for people and property where possible, and manage any residual risk, taking into
account the impacts of climate change;
EUROPEAN UNION
Bulgaria – Serbia IPA Cross-border Programme
“Assessment of flood risk – a base for sustainable development in upper part of Nishava
catchment”
1

2. Програма за ТГС по ИПП
България – Сърбия
• only permitting development in areas of flood risk when there are no
reasonably available sites in areas of lower flood risk and the benefits of the development
outweigh the flood risk;
Reducing risk
• safeguarding land from development that is required for current and future
flood management, eg conveyance and storage of flood water, and flood defences;
• reducing flood risk to and from new development through location, layout and
design, incorporating sustainable drainage systems (SUDS);
• using opportunities offered by new development to reduce the causes and
impacts of flooding, eg surface water management plans; making benefits of green
infrastructure for flood storage, conveyance and SUDS; re-creating functional floodplain;
and setting back defences;
A partnership approach
• working effectively with the Environment Agency, the municipalities of
Godech and Dimitrovgrad, Sofia University „St. Kliment Ohridski”, other operating
authorities and other stakeholders to ensure that best use is made of their expertise and
information so that plans are effective and decisions on planning applications can be
delivered expeditiously; and
• ensuring spatial planning supports flood risk management policies and plans,
River Basin Management Plans and emergency planning.
Using flood risk information for the purposes of territorial planning
Step one
Identification of all known flood sources which are probable to cause
negative effect on the current or future develpment of the region;
Step two
To outline and map the regions with „low”, „mean” and high flood
probability:
EUROPEAN UNION
Bulgaria – Serbia IPA Cross-border Programme
“Assessment of flood risk – a base for sustainable development in upper part of Nishava
catchment”
2

3. Програма за ТГС по ИПП
България – Сърбия
Areas with "high" probability of flooding where the flood probability is 1:100
or higher / p higher or equal to 1% for rivers and 0.5% for tidal flooding /, and is
included in Zone 3a with high probability, and Zone 3b is the functional floodplain. This
zone comprises land where water has to flow or be stored in times of flood. SFRAs
should identify this Flood Zone (land which would flood with an annual probability of 1
in 20 (5%) or greater in any year or is designed to flood in an extreme (0.1%) flood.
Areas with "mean" flooding probability with between 1 and 100, and 1 and
1,000 chance of flooding /1% to 0.1%/ for river flooding and between 0.5% to 0.1% for
tidal flooding is included in Zone 2 Mean Probability;
Area with low flood probability flood having less than 1:1000 likeliness /less
than 0.1%/ is included in Zone 1 Low Probability;
Within the borders of the areas at flood risk, it is recommended to: develop
appropriate land use /based on implementation of so called Sequential Test /, which will
not expose people and their property at flood risk;
Where the flood risk is identified as a limiting factor for the future development
of the area, it is recommended that: possible mitigation /containment/ protection
measures are taken, that can be integrated into spatial plans and schemes to reduce risk to
people and property.
An integral part of the Sequential approach is the classification of landuse
according to the flood vulnerability degree. The categories were determined by the flood
risk degree and the vulnerability degree of different land uses /including life of the
landowners/ to flood damage. Sample vulnerability classification is presented in Table 1.
Тable 1.Vulnerability ratio
Category Type of land use
Important infrastructure Main transport infrastructure /including evacuation
roads/, strategic infrastructure /energy power plants,
energy sub-stations, etc/
Highly vulnerable Police departments, emergency departments, living
EUROPEAN UNION
Bulgaria – Serbia IPA Cross-border Programme
“Assessment of flood risk – a base for sustainable development in upper part of Nishava
catchment”
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4. Програма за ТГС по ИПП
България – Сърбия
estates, sources of dangerous substances, etc.
Mean vulnerable Hospitals, hotels, kindergardens, prisons,
restaurants, schools, waste depots, recreation
resorts and facilities, etc.
Low vulnerable Shops, offices, agricultural buildings, waste water
purification plants and drinking water
Infrastructure relates to the water sector Protection facilities, sewage system and pumping
stations, water supply and pumping stations,
harbours, aquatic territories for recreation, etc.
The next step is definition of standards for eligible land use in the zones 1, 2
and 3. An example of eligible land use is presented in Table 2.
Category Important Infrastructure Highly Mean Low
infrastructure related to the vulnerable vulnerable vulnerable
water sector
Zone 1 Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed Allowed
Zone 2 Allowed Allowed Exception Allowed Allowed
Test
Zone 3а Exception Test Allowed Not Exception Allowed
allowed Test
Zone 3в Exception Test Allowed Not Not Not
allowed allowed allowed
Table 2. Eligible land use in zones of flood risk
Flood vulnerability degree and compatibility of the types of landuse
EUROPEAN UNION
Bulgaria – Serbia IPA Cross-border Programme
“Assessment of flood risk – a base for sustainable development in upper part of Nishava
catchment”
4

5. Програма за ТГС по ИПП
България – Сърбия
The assessment of the factors required by the Floods Directive /social,
economic, etc / will apply to Zone 3 and Zone 2. The point here is that this will identify
those areas in which to develop land use categories with a high degree of vulnerability
and the flood damage will be significant, i.e. those will be areas of "significant flood
risk".
Identification of the areas where landuse categories with high vulnerability
degree are developed, meaning that during flood the damage will be significant = areas
with „significant flood risk”.
EUROPEAN UNION
Bulgaria – Serbia IPA Cross-border Programme
“Assessment of flood risk – a base for sustainable development in upper part of Nishava
catchment”
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