Aberdeenshire, Stonehaven
AB39 2AH in Stonehaven has a Medium flood risk. Heat risk is Lower, with a median (50th percentile) of 3 days above 25°C per year, averaged over the 2021-2040 period under the RCP8.5 high emissions scenario (Met Office UKCP18). Air quality is Low at PM2.5 4.0 μg/m³, within the WHO annual guideline of 5 μg/m³ (Defra UK-AIR). Ground conditions are Low risk, with Quaternary Marine/Estuarine Sand geology; shrink-swell risk is classed as improbable (BGS GeoSure).
Flood risk at AB39 2AH is rated Medium, based on SEPA flood mapping.
SEPA flood zone data places AB39 2AH in the medium flood risk band. The band reflects the highest flood risk within the postcode; some properties within this postcode may face little or no direct flood risk. Individual properties within AB39 2AH can differ - a formal flood risk search is recommended before any property transaction.
Air quality at AB39 2AH is rated Low, based on Defra UK-AIR annual mean PM2.5 data. Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) comes primarily from road traffic, industry, and domestic burning. Long-term exposure above the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³ is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular health risks. Buyers and renters in higher air quality risk areas may wish to consider whether the property is near busy roads or industrial sources.
BGS GeoSure data classes the underlying soil at AB39 2AH as Quaternary Marine/Estuarine Sand, with shrink-swell hazard rated improbable (subsidence risk band: Low). Soil type and shrink-swell behaviour drive subsidence claims following dry summers; recent ABI data shows insurer payouts rose sharply after the 2022 and 2025 hot summers. A structural survey is the reliable way to assess ground risk for a specific property.
The nearest projected coastal erosion zone to AB39 2AH is 18 m away (NatureScot Dynamic Coast - eroded area by 2050 (high emissions) mapping) and the postcode is in the very high coastal erosion risk band. Coastal erosion risk varies along the shoreline depending on local geology, sea defences and Shoreline Management Plan policy. Check the Shoreline Management Plan for this stretch for the projections that apply to a specific property.
This LocalRisk report for AB39 2AH draws on four official UK open data sources: SEPA flood mapping, Met Office UKCP18 climate projections, Defra UK-AIR PM2.5 monitoring, and British Geological Survey GeoSure subsidence mapping. Risk ratings are a screening tool, complementing - not replacing - the searches and surveys ordered as part of a property transaction. Data covers Aberdeenshire and is updated as new official datasets are published.
Aberdeenshire covers a large rural and coastal area and experiences cool, wet winters and mild summers, with noticeable variation between upland areas and river valleys.
Practical check: In a coastal flood risk area - ask about tidal flooding history and check the property's elevation relative to sea level. The nearest projected erosion zone is 18m away - check the Shoreline Management Plan policy for this stretch and whether the property is within 100 years of the erosion line. These are postcode-level indicators - conditions vary between individual properties.
Climate risk can change street by street, so it is worth checking neighbouring postcodes too. The full risk report for AB39 2AA is at localrisk.co.uk/postcode/AB392AA, and you can compare AB39 2AH side by side with any UK postcode at localrisk.co.uk/compare.