Framlingham: Storm Babet Information Page



Photo of Framlingham during Storm Babet


The Environment Agency has created this page to inform interested parties about the actions taken and planned in Framlingham since Storm Babet in October 2023.



Flood Investigation Report

Led by Suffolk County Council with support from the Environment Agency and other Risk Management Authorities the final report can be found here(External link)

While the flood investigation reports were being developed the Environment Agency have worked on a number of actions:


Flood Warning Service

Over the summer 2023, we expanded the flood warning area to incorporate all properties which flooded from the main river in October 2023. The revised warning area went live in November 2024.

We are investigating options to better understand if further improvements can be made to the timeliness and accuracy of the flood warnings in Framlingham, for example if the installation of additional telemetry (river gauges) would be beneficial. The initial findings from these investigations will be available in the summer.

Watercourse Maintenance

Environment Agency routine maintenance is carried out annually in the autumn months. This ensures the watercourse can cope with normal winter flows. The routine maintenance was completed in October 2024 and remains in the maintenance programme for 2025-26. The works involve walking through the channel with hand tools cutting any overhanging / overgrown vegetation and removing any hard obstacles and potential blockages from within the channel. Particular attention is paid to pinch points like footbridges, culverts or trash screens.


Before and After maintenance imagesBefore and After October 2024 Maintenance Works


The team have also made regular visits since Storm Babet to both monitor and clear the channel, particularly as blockages are reported.

We are working with landowners regarding riparian responsibilities, the landowner engaged contractors to fell the willow tree along Fairfield Road that was creating a restriction to conveyance. Once the aerial tree works and felling was completed, Environment Agency field teams were able to remove more of the remaining stumps.

Before: Willow Tree along Fairfield Road

After: Willow Tree along Fairfield Road


We have employed consultants who will be carrying out hydraulic modelling to better understand the impact of varying channel maintenance on flood risk in the town, and whether the Environment Agency’s maintenance regime could be improved – this work is ongoing. Additional topographic survey has been collected to inform this work.


Capital Projects

While we can't prevent floods, we can often lessen their impact. In Framlingham, the Environment Agency is exploring ways to reduce flood risks to people and property. We're analysing the frequency of Storm Babet in Suffolk; this data and future flood model improvements will influence availability of government funding for flood mitigation. We are starting work on updating the River Ore flood risk model, with completion by the financial year 2027/2028, subject to funding. The updated model will help determine what options are technically feasible, affordable and the viability of government funding for flood mitigation.

In order to keep momentum and in advance of the wider River Ore model being updated in future years, we will also be exploring techniques to identify high-level concepts of flood risk management options, using available data. This initial step is crucial for further investments and will help create a list of options which will be reviewed with community input.


Community Engagement

Since Storm Babet we have undertaken and supported the following engagement activities:

  • EA community Information Officers visited Framlingham to talk to residents on 24 and 25 October 2023 and 12 January 2024.
  • 22 December 2023: An information letter sent to the community updating on what happened, the actions taken since Storm Babet and next steps. A copy can be seen under Related Documents.
  • 21 January 2024: Supported the Town council's community meeting.
  • September 2024: An information letter had been sent out to riparian owners, raising awareness of the rights and responsibilities.
  • 8 October 2024: Supported Framlingham Flood Resilience and Recovery Working Group.
  • 29 November 2024: Community Drop-in: Increasing our resilience to flooding- please see flyer in Related Documents


Note: Riparian Ownership Guidance

A Riparian Owner is somebody who has a watercourse running beneath, through or on the border of their land. This might be a river, stream, ditch or buried watercourse.

If you believe you are a riparian owner and would like more information, see the PDF under Related Documents.

Under the Environmental Permitting Regulations, a Flood Risk Activity Permit (FRAP) is required for works in, under, and over a main river, or within 8m of a main river. A FRAP is also required for any works that are designed to contain or divert flood water, including flood walls and flood gates/barriers, whatever the distance from the river. See The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016(External link) for details on what counts as a Flood Risk Activity.

Details of FRAP requirements can be found at Flood risk activities: environmental permits - GOV.UK(External link), including when a permit is required and whether it could come under an exclusion, an exemption, a standard rules permit or a bespoke permit.

Some minor works can be undertaken without a permit, such as vegetation removal by hand, providing the works do not destabilise the riverbanks, and tree roots are left in place. Desilting the river requires a permit, but is covered by an exemption in certain situations (see FRA24, FRA23, FRA22 at FRAP Exemptions(External link)) which is free, quick and simple to register online. There is also an exemption for new flood defences, including flood barriers and flood gates in boundary walls, again this applies in limited circumstances. Further information can be found at FRA26 Exemption(External link).

If the requirements of the FRAP Exemptions cannot be met, then a Bespoke Permit would need to be applied for, further details can be found at Bespoke Permit(External link). The permit application would need to demonstrate that the works would not adversely affect flood risk elsewhere or cause environmental harm.

Sharing Expertise

  • We have been working closely with Suffolk County Council to collate information, much of it collected by the EA in the aftermath of the floods, to help complete the Section 19 flood investigation report.
  • Similarly, we have shared information with Leigh Parratt from Amazi Consulting, who was working for the Town Council, to help inform the flood report.
  • We had a site visit on 5 March 2024 with Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Framlingham College and provided advice – this was in response to residents’ concerns of debris from the area surrounding the mere.



Photo of Framlingham during Storm Babet


The Environment Agency has created this page to inform interested parties about the actions taken and planned in Framlingham since Storm Babet in October 2023.



Flood Investigation Report

Led by Suffolk County Council with support from the Environment Agency and other Risk Management Authorities the final report can be found here(External link)

While the flood investigation reports were being developed the Environment Agency have worked on a number of actions:


Flood Warning Service

Over the summer 2023, we expanded the flood warning area to incorporate all properties which flooded from the main river in October 2023. The revised warning area went live in November 2024.

We are investigating options to better understand if further improvements can be made to the timeliness and accuracy of the flood warnings in Framlingham, for example if the installation of additional telemetry (river gauges) would be beneficial. The initial findings from these investigations will be available in the summer.

Watercourse Maintenance

Environment Agency routine maintenance is carried out annually in the autumn months. This ensures the watercourse can cope with normal winter flows. The routine maintenance was completed in October 2024 and remains in the maintenance programme for 2025-26. The works involve walking through the channel with hand tools cutting any overhanging / overgrown vegetation and removing any hard obstacles and potential blockages from within the channel. Particular attention is paid to pinch points like footbridges, culverts or trash screens.


Before and After maintenance imagesBefore and After October 2024 Maintenance Works


The team have also made regular visits since Storm Babet to both monitor and clear the channel, particularly as blockages are reported.

We are working with landowners regarding riparian responsibilities, the landowner engaged contractors to fell the willow tree along Fairfield Road that was creating a restriction to conveyance. Once the aerial tree works and felling was completed, Environment Agency field teams were able to remove more of the remaining stumps.

Before: Willow Tree along Fairfield Road

After: Willow Tree along Fairfield Road


We have employed consultants who will be carrying out hydraulic modelling to better understand the impact of varying channel maintenance on flood risk in the town, and whether the Environment Agency’s maintenance regime could be improved – this work is ongoing. Additional topographic survey has been collected to inform this work.


Capital Projects

While we can't prevent floods, we can often lessen their impact. In Framlingham, the Environment Agency is exploring ways to reduce flood risks to people and property. We're analysing the frequency of Storm Babet in Suffolk; this data and future flood model improvements will influence availability of government funding for flood mitigation. We are starting work on updating the River Ore flood risk model, with completion by the financial year 2027/2028, subject to funding. The updated model will help determine what options are technically feasible, affordable and the viability of government funding for flood mitigation.

In order to keep momentum and in advance of the wider River Ore model being updated in future years, we will also be exploring techniques to identify high-level concepts of flood risk management options, using available data. This initial step is crucial for further investments and will help create a list of options which will be reviewed with community input.


Community Engagement

Since Storm Babet we have undertaken and supported the following engagement activities:

  • EA community Information Officers visited Framlingham to talk to residents on 24 and 25 October 2023 and 12 January 2024.
  • 22 December 2023: An information letter sent to the community updating on what happened, the actions taken since Storm Babet and next steps. A copy can be seen under Related Documents.
  • 21 January 2024: Supported the Town council's community meeting.
  • September 2024: An information letter had been sent out to riparian owners, raising awareness of the rights and responsibilities.
  • 8 October 2024: Supported Framlingham Flood Resilience and Recovery Working Group.
  • 29 November 2024: Community Drop-in: Increasing our resilience to flooding- please see flyer in Related Documents


Note: Riparian Ownership Guidance

A Riparian Owner is somebody who has a watercourse running beneath, through or on the border of their land. This might be a river, stream, ditch or buried watercourse.

If you believe you are a riparian owner and would like more information, see the PDF under Related Documents.

Under the Environmental Permitting Regulations, a Flood Risk Activity Permit (FRAP) is required for works in, under, and over a main river, or within 8m of a main river. A FRAP is also required for any works that are designed to contain or divert flood water, including flood walls and flood gates/barriers, whatever the distance from the river. See The Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016(External link) for details on what counts as a Flood Risk Activity.

Details of FRAP requirements can be found at Flood risk activities: environmental permits - GOV.UK(External link), including when a permit is required and whether it could come under an exclusion, an exemption, a standard rules permit or a bespoke permit.

Some minor works can be undertaken without a permit, such as vegetation removal by hand, providing the works do not destabilise the riverbanks, and tree roots are left in place. Desilting the river requires a permit, but is covered by an exemption in certain situations (see FRA24, FRA23, FRA22 at FRAP Exemptions(External link)) which is free, quick and simple to register online. There is also an exemption for new flood defences, including flood barriers and flood gates in boundary walls, again this applies in limited circumstances. Further information can be found at FRA26 Exemption(External link).

If the requirements of the FRAP Exemptions cannot be met, then a Bespoke Permit would need to be applied for, further details can be found at Bespoke Permit(External link). The permit application would need to demonstrate that the works would not adversely affect flood risk elsewhere or cause environmental harm.

Sharing Expertise

  • We have been working closely with Suffolk County Council to collate information, much of it collected by the EA in the aftermath of the floods, to help complete the Section 19 flood investigation report.
  • Similarly, we have shared information with Leigh Parratt from Amazi Consulting, who was working for the Town Council, to help inform the flood report.
  • We had a site visit on 5 March 2024 with Suffolk Wildlife Trust and Framlingham College and provided advice – this was in response to residents’ concerns of debris from the area surrounding the mere.
Page last updated: 26 Mar 2025, 06:15 PM