Flood Risk Assessment in Sligo
Expert flood risk assessments for planning applications throughout County Sligo. From Sligo Town and Ballysadare to Strandhill, Enniscrone and Tubbercurry, we assess river, coastal and groundwater flood risk.
Get a Quote or call 087 417 3832 or WhatsAppIf we can’t answer, please leave a message or send a WhatsApp — we’ll get back to you.Do I need a Flood Risk Assessment for planning in Sligo?
Yes, if your site is in or near Flood Zone A or B, or Sligo County Council has requested flood risk information at Further Information stage. The Sligo County Development Plan 2024–2030 and its Strategic Flood Risk Assessment apply the 2009 Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines, and the plan expects site-specific FRAs in flood zones to consider groundwater and pluvial flooding as well as river and coastal risk. In Sligo that includes the Garavogue, Sligo Bay coastal flooding and karst groundwater flooding.
Flood Risk Assessment for Sligo Planning Applications
If you're submitting a planning application to Sligo County Council and your site is in or near a flood zone, you'll need a Flood Risk Assessment that satisfies the requirements of the Sligo County Development Plan 2024-2030 and the Planning System and Flood Risk Management Guidelines.
Sligo's flood risk comes from rivers, the sea and the ground. Sligo County Council's SFRA identifies Sligo Town (including Rathbraghan), Ballysadare, Collooney, Ballymote, Coolaney, Gorteen and Riverstown as areas needing further assessment, and maps coastal flood risk at Strandhill, Rosses Point, Enniscrone, Easky and Mullaghmore. The SFRA also draws on Geological Survey Ireland's mapping of karst groundwater flooding and turloughs, which is a real issue on Sligo's limestone.
- Garavogue River and Sligo Town (including Rathbraghan)
- Ballysadare River catchment (Ballysadare, Collooney)
- Coastal sites at Strandhill, Rosses Point, Enniscrone and Mullaghmore
- Karst groundwater and turlough flooding
- Smaller town catchments (Ballymote, Coolaney, Gorteen, Tubbercurry)
What's Included
Every FRA we complete for Sligo sites includes:
Stage 1, 2 & 3 Assessments
Proper methodology using OPW flood mapping and modelling data. Where data is limited or outdated, we undertake bespoke hydraulic modelling (1D/2D HEC-RAS).
Coastal & Groundwater
OPW coastal flood data for Sligo Bay and Atlantic sites, and GSI groundwater flood maps for karst and turlough areas.
FFL Comparison
Your proposed finished floor levels compared against design flood levels plus freeboard.
Development Plan Compliance
Explicit demonstration of compliance with Sligo County Development Plan flood risk policies.
Further Information Requests
Received an FI request from Sligo County Council asking for flood risk information? We regularly handle urgent FI responses for Sligo sites. Typical turnaround is 7–10 working days — often faster for straightforward sites.
Key Documents for Sligo Flood Risk Assessments
Every FRA we prepare for a Sligo site is assessed against the development plan and Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) of the relevant planning authority, the national flood risk guidelines, and the latest OPW flood data:
Sligo County Council
- Sligo County Development Plan 2024–2030
- Strategic Flood Risk Assessment for the Sligo County Development Plan 2024–2030 (CAAS)
National guidance and flood data
- The Planning System and Flood Risk Management – Guidelines for Planning Authorities (DoEHLG & OPW, November 2009)
- The Planning System and Flood Risk Management – Technical Appendices (November 2009)
- Circular PL 2/2014 – Flooding Guidelines (revised Section 5.28 on minor development)
- OPW Flood Maps – floodinfo.ie (CFRAM, NIFM and NCFHM flood mapping)
- Geological Survey Ireland – GWFlood groundwater flood maps (historic and predictive)
Links open the official source documents. Development plans are periodically varied, so we always check the current version and any variation SFRA when preparing your report.
Sligo Flood Risk Assessment FAQs
Is groundwater flooding a planning issue in Sligo?
Yes. Sligo County Council's SFRA draws on Geological Survey Ireland's historic groundwater flood maps from winter 2015/16 and its predictive maps for more than 400 sites, mainly turloughs. These risks do not appear on OPW river maps, so we check the GSI data for sites on limestone.
Which parts of Sligo need the most careful assessment?
The SFRA identifies Sligo Town (including Rathbraghan), Ballysadare, Collooney, Ballymote, Coolaney, Gorteen and Riverstown as Areas for Further Assessment, and maps coastal flood risk at Strandhill, Rosses Point, Enniscrone, Easky and Mullaghmore.
Are coastal sites in Sligo assessed differently?
Yes. For Sligo Bay and the Atlantic coast we use the OPW National Coastal Flood Hazard Mapping, applying climate change and storm surge allowances to the 0.5% AEP tidal level, and consider wave overtopping on exposed frontages.
Can I get planning permission in Flood Zone A in Sligo?
Possibly. Under the 2009 Guidelines, highly vulnerable development such as housing in Flood Zone A must pass the Development Management Justification Test, and Sligo County Council will expect a site-specific FRA to show the development, its occupants and its access are safe without increasing flood risk elsewhere. Minor development such as small extensions, small-scale infill and changes of use is treated differently under Circular PL 2/2014: the Justification Test does not apply, but a commensurate flood risk assessment is still required.
How long does a Flood Risk Assessment take in Sligo?
Typically 7–10 working days from instruction for a Stage 2 assessment, and often faster for straightforward sites. If Sligo County Council has issued a Further Information request with a deadline, tell us when you get in touch and we will prioritise it. Stage 3 assessments with hydraulic modelling take longer and are scoped per site.
Need an FRA for a Sligo Site?
Send us your site address and we'll provide a fixed-price quote, typically within 24 hours.
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