New homes must be flood-proofed, LGA says

The Local Government Association (LGA) has said that housing developers should be legally required to install anti-flood measures when constructing new homes.

It claimed that mandatory anti-flood requirements would save millions of pounds in flood damage and protect thousands of homes located in flood-risk areas. Such measure would include raised electrical sockets and fuse boxes, sealed floors and raised damp-proof courses.

Councillor Martin Tett, environment spokesman for the LGA, said: “We are urging the government to make it a mandatory requirement for builders in at-risk areas to better protect properties from flooding. For example, if fuse boxes had been on upper rather than ground floors, many families caught in the winter chaos may still have had power. For a household gripped by the horror and trauma of flooding, electricity can be a lifeline.

“Other measures from the government could also make a massive difference in helping councils. These include allowing councils to keep landfill tax and devolving new flood defence funding to local areas.”