UK must build flood resilient homes

A new report from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has urged the government to create homes and communities that are resilient to flood damage.

The Value of Flood Resilient Architecture and Design says that the UK’s approach to flooding can no longer only concern itself with managing flood risk by simply keeping the water out, but instead should see the government enable communities to manage their risks, equipping local people and businesses to live with water; being able to stop water entering their properties and speeding recovery if it does.

The report also encourages the government to build flood resilient homes and buildings, promoting innovation in flood resilience in the housing and urban design sector, and suggests that it introduce specific building regulations for flood resilience and resistance - ensuring that these are taken up by any building owner exposed to flood risk. Flood resilient design will help future-proof new developments and deliver greater value for money when investments in new flood defences are made.

Ben Derbyshire, RIBA president, said: “In the next 30 years, the number of homes at risk of flooding is expected to double. Now is the time to adapt and think creatively about how to tackle this threat. The RIBA urges the government to step up and encourage the collaboration and innovation needed to create new homes and communities that are resilient to the devastating effects of flooding.”