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A Site Specific Flood Assessment is required before undertaking a building project on a site located in an overland flowpath, flood depression area or an urban flood assessment area. There may also be a requirement for a flood assessment if you are undertaking a subdivision in a flood assessment area. It is not to be confused with Environment Canterbury's Site Specific Flood Assessment, which concerns river flooding and non-urban area flooding.
It is also advisable to apply for a Site Specific Flood Assessment if there is a flood risk assessment note mentioned in a LIM report, especially if you are planning future development.
This assessment provides information on how to mitigate potential damage on new builds from flood events. The process assesses the downstream effect of overland flow paths, depression areas and provides detail on the minimum floor height for a proposed build.
The assessment is based off of data from urban flood modelling which is validated by data from flood levels of previous extreme weather events, providing detail on various flood events where data is available.
To apply for a Site Specific Flood Assessment, please submit an application using the link below. There is a fee to cover the costs of processing and analysis (refer to fees and charges).
Last updated: 04 Mar 2026