Cheltenham Flood Zones Map: Flood Zone 2 and 3

A map of the land around Cheltenham in Flood Zone 2 and Flood Zone 3, from the Environment Agency's Flood Map for Planning, with what the zones mean and how to check an address.

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Flood Zones in Cheltenham

The map below shows the land around Cheltenham that the Environment Agency says could flood from rivers, including the River Chelt and its brooks. Flood Zone 3, in the darker blue, is land with a 1 in 100 (1%) or greater chance of flooding from rivers in any year. Flood Zone 2, in the lighter blue, is land with a 1 in 100 to 1 in 1,000 (0.1% to 1%) chance. Everywhere else is Flood Zone 1, with a lower chance of river flooding.

The zones show the risk ignoring the effect of flood defences, and they cover flooding from rivers only, not from surface water, drains or groundwater, which caused much of the damage when Cheltenham flooded in 2007. Use the map to get a feel for an area, and the Environment Agency’s own long term flood risk service to check a specific address.

For what is happening right now, see live river levels and flood warnings, and for how bad it has been before, the summer 2007 floods. Moving here? Our moving to Cheltenham guide pulls together prices, schools and safety.

Flood Zones Map

Darker blue is Flood Zone 3 and lighter blue is Flood Zone 2. Select a shaded area to see what its zone means.

Environment Agency Flood Map for Planning: Flood Zones 2 and 3 from the Environment Agency, published under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains Environment Agency information © Environment Agency and database right. Outlines are simplified to about 9 metres and fragments under about 760 square metres are left out. Map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Data last processed 20 September 2026.

FAQs

What Are Flood Zones?

Flood zones are the Environment Agency's way of describing the chance of a river flooding a piece of land in any one year. Flood Zone 3 is 1 in 100 (1%) or greater, Flood Zone 2 is between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1,000 (0.1%), and Flood Zone 1 is less than 1 in 1,000. They are used mainly to decide where new building is appropriate.

Does Flood Zone 1 Mean There Is No Flood Risk?

No. It means a lower chance of flooding from rivers. Land can still flood from surface water, drains and sewers, or groundwater, which caused much of the flooding in Cheltenham in 2007. See the summer 2007 floods.

Do the Zones Take Flood Defences Into Account?

No. They show the risk as if there were no defences, so land protected by defences such as those on the River Chelt can still appear in a zone.

Can I Use This Map to Check My Home?

Treat it as a guide only. The outlines here are simplified and small areas are left out to keep the page fast, so for a specific address use the Environment Agency's long term flood risk service, which also covers surface water and reservoirs. If you are planning a development, the Flood map for planning service gives the official flood zone for a site.

Where Does This Data Come From and How Often Is It Updated?

The Environment Agency's Flood Map for Planning (Flood Zones 2 and 3), published under the Open Government Licence. The Environment Agency updates it as needed rather than on a fixed schedule, and this page is refreshed by hand when it does.