LOCATION

CM23 0AE - Flood, Heat, Air & Subsidence Risk - Bishop's Stortford (CM23)

East Hertfordshire, Bishop's Stortford (CM23)

Heat: MediumAir quality: Medium

Climate risk summary for CM23 0AE

Heat risk is Medium. Air quality is Medium at PM2.5 7.2 μg/m³, above the WHO annual guideline of 5 μg/m³ (Defra UK-AIR).

How does CM23 0AE compare with the rest of the UK?

  • Green space access: better green access than 74% of English postcodes

What is the flood risk in CM23 0AE?

An official flood-risk band is not available for CM23 0AE in the current dataset releases used by LocalRisk. This is a data-coverage gap rather than a low-risk rating. For a property-level reading, the Environment Agency's Check Your Long-Term Flood Risk service covers every address in England.

What is the heat risk in CM23 0AE?

Heat risk at CM23 0AE is rated Medium, reflecting Met Office UKCP18 climate projections (50th percentile) for this area, averaged over the 2021-2040 period under the RCP8.5 high emissions scenario. These are probabilistic projections - the 50th percentile is the central estimate within RCP8.5; the full range of modelled outcomes is wide and lower emissions scenarios would produce lower figures. Higher summer temperatures increase cooling energy costs, affect comfort in poorly insulated or south-facing properties, and can accelerate shrinkage in clay soils beneath foundations. Properties built before 1980 without cavity wall insulation are typically most affected.

How is the air quality in CM23 0AE?

Air quality at CM23 0AE is rated Medium, 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.

Where does this data come from?

This LocalRisk report for CM23 0AE draws on four official UK open data sources: Environment Agency NaFRA2 flood modelling, Met Office UKCP18 climate projections, Defra UK-AIR PM2.5 monitoring, and British Geological Survey GeoClimate subsidence mapping. Risk ratings are a screening tool, complementing - not replacing - the searches and surveys ordered as part of a property transaction. Data covers East Hertfordshire and is updated as new official datasets are published.

About the East Hertfordshire area

East Hertfordshire has a largely rural setting with market towns, river valleys and rolling countryside and experiences cool, wet winters and warm summers, influenced by lowland terrain and drainage patterns.

What should buyers and renters check in CM23 0AE?

Practical check: With PM2.5 above WHO guidelines here, check which bedrooms face busy roads and how fresh air is drawn into living spaces. 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 CM23 0AA is at localrisk.co.uk/postcode/CM230AA, and you can compare CM23 0AE side by side with any UK postcode at localrisk.co.uk/compare.