Improving the flood performance of new buildings in flood risk areas

Guidance on improving the resilience of new properties in low or residual flood risk areas through the use of suitable materials and construction detail.

From:
Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research and Development Programme and Environment Agency
Published
17 February 2021
Category:
Policy, governance and funding
Topics:
Alternative construction materials, Community response and resilience, Flood risk assessment, Flood risk governance, Partnership working, Resilience planning, Resilient infrastructure, Spatial planning, Strategy and planning
Project status:
Completed
Project code:
SC040066
Date of completion:
31 March 2007

Documents

Improving the flood resilience of buildings through improved materials, methods and details - technical report (1.65 MB) PDF

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Details

This report aims to provide guidance on improving the resilience of new properties in low or residual flood risk areas through the use of suitable materials and construction detail. Government policies in the UK do not advocate the building of homes in areas with a significant risk of flooding.

However, where development is exceptionally necessary in such areas, national flood risk management policy requires that such developments:

  • are safe
  • do not increase flood risk elsewhere
  • reduce flood risk overall - where possible

This report provides:

  • practical and easy to use guidance on the design and specification of new buildings in low or residual flood risk areas in order to reduce the impact of flooding
  • recommendations for the construction of flood resistant and resilient buildings

This report will be useful for:

  • developers and designers
  • planners
  • building control officers
  • loss adjusters

This project ran from 2004 to 2007.

Published 17 February 2021