How can it be that building
is happening on water logged land? How can it be that planning had been
approved on land that is known for flooding? It seems builders will build
anywhere so long as there is profit to be made. Buildings insurers are loathe to insure a property that is built on a known
floodplain. Time will only tell what will happen. See my time lapse video below showing houses being built on a floodplain in Nuneaton.
Time
Lapse Video of Building on Flood Plain
This video show time lapse images of building work occurring on a known
floodplain. Roughly 2 photos were taken per day between February and December
2014. Nuneaton is presently bearing the brunt of property developers ruining
this modest market town known for George Eliot and green countryside. Not
anymore. Here, we can see Davidson Homes Development, Heritage View in
Nuneaton. (Read more about the horrendous building plans underway in Nuneaton
on my other blog post).
Question
of Compensation for Flooded Properties in the Future
Thousands
of homeowners in England have suffered misery after flooding of recent years
due to climate change. Towns on the River Severn, Trent and Thames are three
examples. Indeed, rain and flooding has become almost synonymous with England. Measures
are being taken against such disasters from occurring again, from reinforcing
banks and creating flow-aways for excess water. It is reassuring to believe
that we learn from the past. Don’t
we…? And
yet…
 |
| Housing Strategy Gone Mad: Land Grab Mentality leads to Building on Floodplain |
Bad
Places to Build Houses
And
yet I see development approval on known flood plains still happening. This farm
field off the A47 in Nuneaton has always been black spot for flooding. Neighboring
residents had put in place a drainage trench to the rear of their properties to
deal with the excess water flowing into back gardens. The area concerned is
located to the right of the video clip.
 |
| House Build on Floodplains: Nuneaton the Long Shoot Known for Flooding |
Land
is very flat in this part of Nuneaton and the soil is high in clay, meaning
water does not drain away easily. I have seen water sit on these fields for
weeks on end after a period of wet weather. All it takes is a few showers or a
wet day for large ponds to amalgamate into larger bodies of water, lake-like in
proportions.
 |
| Building almost at completion yet drainage remains a problem |
Another
building proposal has been put in place on a nearby field just off Eastboro Way
in Nuneaton (see images below). Flooding is even worse on this proposed piece of land. In the winter of 2013, flood waters banked against the hedgerow, forming a large lake. It took
months to drain away and scars remain.
 |
| Proposed building plot on floodplain |
 |
| Detail of flood scars on building plot land |
Lack
of Flooding Compensation for Homes
If
this goes ahead, the only conclusion that can be drawn is that rules on
planning have been relaxed in order to satisfy the Government’s National
Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) – a plan to build over 200,000 houses per year. Yes, per year. Where will this lead?
Building
on Countryside
This
autocratic demand on building huge developments makes it more difficult to reject
planning applications, even if the land is clearly unsuitable. The Telegraph
(26 November 2014) says the Government’s plans are ‘incoherent and statist’. The
Labour Government has merely created a ‘land grab’ mentality for the developers
in this country.
In
this so-called democratic country, it should be made easier for unwanted development
to be stopped.
What
sort of landscape will our children see? Only a disfigured countryside. And
worse, rushed housing developments that will reap problems in years to come. Building
on floodplains names just one problem. What other surprises will there be in store?
News
Articles about Floodplains and Flooding of Homes in Nuneaton and Warwickshire
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