Gateshead, Swalwell
NE9 5AB in Swalwell has a Medium flood risk - EA NaFRA2 data records 3 properties in a flood risk zone. Heat risk is Lower, with a median (50th percentile) of 8 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 6.0 μg/m³, above the WHO annual guideline of 5 μg/m³ (Defra UK-AIR). Ground conditions are Low risk, with Glacial Till geology; shrink-swell risk is classed as improbable (BGS GeoSure).
National comparison
Flood risk at NE9 5AB is rated Medium, based on Environment Agency NaFRA2 modelling.
Air quality at NE9 5AB 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 NE9 5AB as Glacial Till, 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.
This LocalRisk report for NE9 5AB 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 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 Gateshead and is updated as new official datasets are published.
Gateshead has an urban setting with river valleys, rising ground and former industrial land and experiences cool, wet winters and warm summers, shaped by elevation and dense development.
Environment Agency flood zone data places NE9 5AB in the medium flood risk band. EA NaFRA2 data shows 1 at medium risk, 2 at low risk in this postcode. 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 NE9 5AB can differ - a formal flood risk search is recommended before any property transaction.
Practical check: EA data flags 3 properties at flood risk here - check whether the property is among them by comparing its position to the flood zone boundary. These are postcode-level indicators - conditions vary between individual properties.