NIC calls for £12 billion investment in drainage infrastructure
A report by the National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) has found that over 600,000 homes in England could be at risk to flooding in the near future unless action is taken.
Currently it is reported that 325,000 homes have a 60% risk of flooding, and the main reason for this is due to a lack of investment in proper drainage and infrastructure. Other factors for this are extreme weather conditions and increasing numbers of homes placing greater pressures on drains.
The report suggests greater restrictions on building in areas most at risk to flooding, building more permeable services across England around homes, and £12 billion investment in drainage over the next 30 years to develop better drainage systems. The report also calls for greater involvement by Ofwat, the water regulator, to invest in drainage infrastructure. It also calls for the Environment Agency to look into nature-based solutions to tackle flooding, such as flood storage ponds.
The NIC claimed public knowledge of the risks of flooding in properties should be more transparent for all homeowners and potential homeowners, and called for those involved in the homebuying process, such as conveyancers, to play their part in improving this.
Professor Jim Hall, the national infrastructure commissioner, said:
“It’s clear that faced with more intense rainfall and increased urbanisation, we need to start taking this type of flooding far more seriously.
The solution is clear: reducing the amount of water flowing into drains, whilst also improving the capacity of those drains. That means stopping urban creep from increasing the amount of storm water that drainage systems have to cope with and giving nature more opportunities to hold on to excess water, as well as targeted investment to ensure sewers can cope with growing pressures.
While sustained investment is needed, the estimated additional costs are relatively modest. At least as important is a more joined-up approach to owning and acting on the problem.”
One Response
This is why we make free environmental risk data available in our Hazard Checker at Property Searches Direct for anyone to access.
Ideally buyers will frequent our hazard checker and start asking appropriate questions of sellers and their agents. Of course we make reporting available too, but anyone should have access to this data and not just at the point when a conveyancer starts to engage with search ordering, as at that point it is too late for a buyer who is already engaged in the process.