Pluvial Flood Insurance Claims Rise Due to Building on Floodplains in the UK

If your house was suddenly flooded, would you know what to do? Most of the population are unaware that their homes are in fact at risk of being flooded simply because the house is not in valley, near a river or the sea. Because of this, a flood risk assessment had not been taken upon buying the property. The frightening fact is, most people who are at risk of being flooded are unaware that their home could be sitting in a flood plain.

Flood Insurance Risk Quote

Building on Floodplains in Nuneaton

Over five million people in the UK are at risk of being flooded (about 1 in 6), and this figure is set to rise due to the Coalition’s relaxation on building regulations in 2011. With over 400,000 houses being built in the UK, builders are taking a land-grab approach and building on unsuitable land, including flood plains. Getting flood insurance might be difficult if your home has been built on a floodplain that has had past flooding.

Causes of Flooding to Property

With changes in the UK’s climate resulting in higher rainfall, coupled with thousands of properties being built, flooding in properties is bound to increase. At present, the annual cost of flooding is over £1billion.This will stretch buildings insurance to the limit and create higher insurance quotes for homeowners. Is it any surprise when 210,000 homes have been built on England’s floodplains in between 2001 to 2011, 38.000 of which are in areas of serious flood risk? (Inside Housing.co.uk)

Causes of flooding to properties in this country are:

High rainfall, the sea, rivers overflowing, surface water, groundwater, burst pipes, overflowing ditches and drainage channels.

These can cause two types of flooding: Pluvial and fluvial. Fluvial is caused by an overflowing river or dams bursting, causing water to flow into another area. This type of flooding has occurred in towns and cities banking rivers, streams or the sea.

A pluvial flood is caused when the water table rises due to lots of rain or run-off, causing floodwater to rise through the ground. A pluvial flood is less dramatic than the fluvial flood, but is no less devastating to see water seep through the foundations of your home or an encroaching lake on your back lawn. The fluvial flood is typical of that found on flood plains, the subject of this article.

Is Your Home on a Floodplain?

The terrible thing about building on flood plains is that the homeowners are unaware of the flood risk simply because there are no lakes or rivers close by. The irresponsible and greedy builders have built on a flood plain because of relaxed building laws thanks to the Coalition government. This means the local councils do not have to report cases of ignorance to the Environment Agency. Many building developments in this country are happening on unsuitable land.

A Need for Increased Flood Insurance in the UK

Flood Insurance Increase in UK

All it takes are several wet winters of water seepage into the foundations of your home to disturb the foundations, causing hairline cracks in the plaster and ceiling. Erosion in the mortar will cause cracking in the cement. Land with high clay content cannot absorb the water and so the water will sit unseen beneath the flooring sand driveways. As the water freezes, it expands, creating wider cracks and further damage to the property.

One day, the water will find its way further into the property, causing carpet damage and burst pipes due to shifting walls. All of this is because the house has been built on a flood plain.

Flood Risk Assessment Report in the UK

With relaxed laws on building, more homes are being built on floodplains. Coupled with increased rainfall in the UK, the consequences can only be disastrous for millions of homeowners. Increase in buildings insurance and costs in repairs can only cause further misery. By then, the builders have lined their pockets, ready to move on to another floodplain.

Articles about Flooded Homes Built on Flood Plains

Time lapse video of home being built on floodplain

Horrendous building developments in Nuneaton

the government's disastrous housing planning strategy

http://ampp3d.mirror.co.uk/2014/02/12/the-scandal-of-200000-homes-built-on-flood-plains/

http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/ihstory.aspx?storycode=6525904

http://maps.environment-agency.gov.uk/wiyby/wiybyController?x=357683.0&y=355134.0&scale=1&layerGroups=default&ep=map&textonly=off&lang=_e&topic=floodmap

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/greenpolitics/planning/10673924/We-want-to-make-it-harder-to-build-on-flood-plains-says-Nick-Boles.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/the-more-the-experts-warn-against-the-more-we-build-on-flood-plains-9101710.html