Summary
Areas Benefiting from Defences show locations that would be expected to flood in a defined river or tidal event without defences, but are shown as benefiting if those defences work to their design standard. This is not the same as no flood risk. It means the probability may be reduced, while residual risks such as overtopping, breach, blockage, asset deterioration or an event beyond design standard remain.
Definition
Areas Benefiting from Defences, often shortened to ABD, are mapped areas that would flood in a 1% annual probability river event or 0.5% annual probability tidal event if flood defences were not present, but are shown as benefiting from those defences where they perform to the assumed standard. Buyers should treat ABD as a sign to investigate residual risk, defence type, condition, standard of protection, maintenance responsibility and the insurance position.