New funding to support
pilot grant scheme for flood resilience is launched today
DEPARTMENT FOR
ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS News Release (News Release ref :
133/07) issued by The Government News Network on 15 May 2007
A £500,000 funding
package to help make vulnerable homes more resilient to the threat
of flooding was announced by Minister for Climate Change and the
Environment Ian Pearson today.
Mr Pearson, speaking to a workshop on flood resilience hosted by
the Association of British Insurers (ABI) in London, said that the
funding supported the first phase of a pilot grant scheme for
vulnerable households, which would be under increased threat as
climate change increased the risk of flooding to low-lying areas
of the UK.
Currently, around 470,000 properties in England and Wales are at
risk of flooding, including 393,000 homes - this is likely to rise
as the effects of climate change increase.
The funding will help to provide effective measures against
flooding for vulnerable properties in England. These may include
measures to stop water getting into the home, such as temporary
door-guards or waterproof render, or to reduce damage if water
does enter the home, such as water-resistant walls and floors or
raising electrics.
Mr Pearson said:
"With climate change, it's more important than ever
that householders know about, understand and can access the
options that are available to them to help minimise the damage
that can be caused by flooding.
"Providing better information and advice for householders on
how to respond to flood risk is an important part of our strategy
to reduce flood risk to people and property. We want to continue
to work with the insurance industry to ensure that people have the
guidance they need to make informed choices about incorporating
flood management measures in their homes.
"In addition, the pilot grant scheme I have announced today
will help some of the most vulnerable households put flood
resilience measures in place."
The pilot study will also look at the practical issues
surrounding flood resilience in much more detail, including
possible barriers in the existing market such as costs to
customers, and how we can provide better information and advice to
help householders make more informed choices.
The pilot scheme forms part of the Government's work to take
forward its strategy for flood and coastal erosion risk
management, Making Space for Water, including better resilience
and resistance for buildings and emergency infrastructure, and
improved stakeholder and community engagement.
The payments under the pilot scheme will be capped at £5,000 per
property. Areas for the first phase of the pilot scheme are
identified based on the Environment Agency's local analysis
of flood risk, and knowledge of where technical or other practical
issues mean conventional community defences are not a viable
solution. Mr Pearson asked anyone interested to suggest other
areas that might benefit from the second phase of the grant scheme.
ABI Head of Property Insurances, Jane Milne, said :
"Flood risk has always been significant in the UK, but
climate change will make it make much worse over the next 30 to 40 years.
"Insurers support this initiative to reduce the misery and
cost of flooding affecting communities where conventional
approaches are not feasible.
"More use of flood resilience measures and more investment
in flood defences will enable flood insurance to continue to be
widely available."
Defra today published the results of a scoping study on flood
resilience called Flood resistance and Resilience Solutions: an R
& D Scoping Study - prepared by an independent flood
management expert. This broadly determines the suitability and
cost effectiveness of a variety of flood resistance and resilience
measures - such as temporary flood gates, water resistant floors
and wall coverings at property level - especially those that could
be supported through a potential pilot grant scheme.
New research will begin shortly to examine in more detail the
benefits of resilience for different types of flood events and the
social barriers to adoption of flood resilience.
Notes to editors
1. Today the Government is also launching a new guidance
document, entitled - "Improving the flood performance of new
buildings: Flood resilient construction" (provisional). This
guide complements the role of Planning Policy Statement 25 -
Development and Flood risk by providing how buildings that might
be damaged by flooding should be constructed and clarifies policy
that flood risk should be taken into account at all stages of the
planning. It directs councils to avoid inappropriate development
in areas at risk of flooding, including through the use of Water
Management Plan for urban flooding. More information is available
from: http://www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1504639.
2. Flood resilience can be an effective approach to reducing the
risk of flooding. In December last year, a home in Lowestoft,
Suffolk, that was fitted with resilient measures was flooded.
Although this was the worst flooding experienced at this estate,
the flood guards were put in place and helped prevent major
damage. Other measures such as a tiled concrete floor, resilient
plaster, raised electrics and appliances on plinths also helped.
The tenant of this house only had to mop up her floors to return
to normal, whereas some neighbours had to replace carpets and
wooden flooring to make their homes habitable again, which took
much longer. More information from http://www.flows.nu/stream_file.asp?iEntityId=116.
3. Flood resilience can include property-level measures that aim
to prevent floodwater reaching the inside of properties (for
example door-guards, external render) and those that minimise
damage caused by floods which enter property (for example
water-proof wall plaster, concrete tiled floors, electrics at
shoulder height).
4. Ian Pearson's speech is available at http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/ministers/speeches/default.asp
5. The link to the Flood resistance and Resilience Solutions: an
R & D Scoping Study is available for viewing on: http://www.defra.gov.uk/environ/fcd/policy/strategy/rf1rf2.htm
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