Collaborative research to support transition towards integrating flood risk management in urban development

TLDR

Urban development and regeneration offer opportunities to reduce flood vulnerability, yet limited experience exists in integrating flood risk into planning, despite recent research emphasizing its importance. The study demonstrates that collaborative research, especially through demonstration projects, can facilitate the integration of flood risk into urban planning and promote social learning and impact‑focused outcomes. The authors employ collaborative research to support demonstration projects, promote wider uptake, inform policy development, and drive a transition toward integrated flood risk management. The approach yields greater flexibility, broader problem and solution consideration, stakeholder collaboration, and capacity building.

Abstract

Abstract Urban development and regeneration present windows of opportunity to help reduce flood vulnerability. Much recent research stresses the need for better integration of flood risk into planning processes. However, there is limited experience in incorporating flood risk management in urban planning. Demonstration projects can help in overcoming this lack of experience and facilitate a transition towards integrated flood risk management and spatial planning; taking longer term flexible and adaptive approaches. This paper demonstrates that the process of research, if collaborative, can contribute to the better integration of flood risk in urban planning. Collaborative research can support demonstration projects and their wider uptake, as well as policy development and subsequently a transition to integrated flood risk management. It also provides greater freedom to use different approaches, consider a broader range of problems and solutions, bring stakeholders together and facilitate capacity building. This paper calls for collaborative research that facilitates social learning and is impact focussed, preferably supporting innovative demonstration projects.