Consultation hub

SEPA and local authorities worked in partnership to develop and consult on flood risk management plans.

Plans are best if they are informed by local knowledge and help tackle issues that matter to communities in Scotland. This is why the consultation on the flood risk management plans was vital, to help ensure that we get the right actions in the right places.

SEPA hosted the joint consultation on the flood risk management plans and local flood risk management plans on the citizen space platform.

The consultation was carried out in two phases between December 2020 and October 2021. The consultation was open to everyone with an interest in flood risk management. The views SEPA has received during the consultation provide a useful insight into public knowledge and understanding.

In total SEPA received 677 responses. This included 654 online responses and an additional 23 email responses, 77% of responses were from members of the public.

Read the full summary of consultation responses.

SEPA has reviewed the feedback received. Some feedback resulted in changes made to the final flood risk management plans and these are summarised below.

Summary of changes made to the plans following the consultation

1. Further actions were added to manage flood risk in several target areas.

2. Additional Local Plan District actions were added.

3. Some actions were removed from the flood risk management plans at the request of local authorities responsible for their delivery due to completion in the time between consultation and publication.

4. Further information was included on how climate change was assessed in the preparation of the plans.

5. Further information was included on how potentially vulnerable areas were identified, and when they will be reviewed again.

6. Information was included on the progress made in implementing actions and working towards objectives in the 2015 strategies.

7. A target area boundary was amended based on new information provided.

8. A description of the importance of community actions, recognising the work that communities do to manage flooding was included, along with further information on where support is available to help people reduce their own flood risk.

9. A description of the catchment-based approach SEPA has taken, and the role it plays in delivering flood risk management actions was provided.

10. The link between flood risk management plans and land use planning was clarified.

11. Habitats Regulations Appraisal statements were added to each relevant action.

12. Some other changes were made to the way information is presented to try to make it clearer e.g., on the timing of actions being carried out.

13. Further information was provided on the uncertainty associated with funding of flood risk management actions.

As part of our work to deliver One Planet Prosperity - Our Regulatory Strategy, in 2020, SEPA consulted on a new charging scheme for marine pen fish farms. The consultation is intended to address historic under-recovery and to fund the additional work introduced by the new approach to regulating aquaculture which ensures a transparent science-based approach.

SEPA received consultation responses from stakeholder groups including a mixture of community and wild fisheries interests. These representations asked for greater ambition and higher chargers.

There were five industry representations which included all the major salmon companies and the British Trout Association representing the trout companies. The industry responses highlighted previous increases over the past five years and largely opposed increases of the scale proposed.

SEPA has reviewed the feedback received and produced a Consultation on Proposals to Increase SEPA Charges for Marine Pen Fish Farms: Analysis and Response

We consulted on an application received from the Ministry of Defence regarding HMNB Clyde and radioactive substances. The consultation ran between the January and March 2020 and provided the opportunity to comment on proposed changes to existing agreements that cover the disposal of radioactive waste from both Coulport and Faslane.

We received over 7,000 responses that we are currently in the process of reviewing.

The very high number of responses received together with the change to working arrangements due to COVID-19 has resulted in a delay to our review of responses and which will also delay progress of the application process. This page will be updated to include a summary of the consultation responses, when they have been reviewed, and our decision record.