|
Yvette Cooper, the Housing Minister, thinks it is
inevitable that some of the 3 million homes forecast to be built by
2020 will be located on flood plains. In the light of the recent
flash floods which brought misery to thousands of people, many think
the statement is at best misguided.
If even more of these vulnerable areas are to be used for housing
many think it is just asking for trouble – floodwater has no regard
for the change of use of our countryside. Even if they are protected
with better flood defences it just moves the problem downstream.
This can put at risk areas that have never had a history of
flooding. The surge of water that was in the past dissipated by the
flood plain has to go somewhere.
And will there be any great demand for these new homes? Defences
only offer a certain level of protection so homes built on flood
plains will inevitably be flooded at sometime. Once a house
has been blighted by flooding it is extremely hard to sell and
virtually impossible to insure against the risk of flooding in the
future.
To see if your property is at risk see
Environment Agency - Flooding.
25th July 2007
More house,
home and property articles >>> |
