Flood Resilient Development
Yorkshire and Humber
Maslen Environmental, and partners KCA, King Sturge, Loci and Randall Simmons, have been commissioned by Yorkshire Forward to assemble a review of good practice and innovation for development, in areas at high risk of flooding, leading to the creation of guidance to assess and appraise implications for development.
The way our planning system manages development in areas of high flood risk is already changing from an approach based on defence to a fixed standard of protection, at any cost, to one of managing the likelihood and consequences of flooding. The challenge for Landscape Architects, is to integrate place making with managing flood risk; for example, the combination of drainage and Green Infrastructure, can be used to re-establish functional flood plains on a regional scale, and attenuate the risk of surface water flooding at a street scale using SUDS, as part of a catchment wide approach to managing flood risk. The study will use case by case analysis to generate discussion of capital versus long term cost, the benefit of green space and waterside environments, and potential detractors. A Stakeholder Group with representatives from the wide and diverse range of interests was established
In urban locations throughout Yorkshire and Humber, development in areas of high flood risk is the only option. Yet the potential unavailability of insurance in these contexts, and wariness or association with water, are barriers to regeneration. Technologies that overcome problems associated with water (such as homes on floating concrete boxes in Maasbommel) make small scale development possible. What is lacking is the collected knowledge of how to roll these types of design out on a development wide scale, for retrofitting commercial premises, and for other types of new development. This study will guide policy makers towards innovative flood resilient development so that these issues are less likely to be a barrier to development. The study will contribute to the evidence base for the Integrated Regional Strategy, and respond to the desire to adapt to climate change, in Yorkshire and Humber.
