It's estimated that around 1.7 million homes and 130,000 commercial properties are at risk from flooding in the UK, including coastal flooding, and many homeowners are now finding it very difficult to insure their property.
Current planning guidance, as published in Planning Policy Guidance Note 25 (PPG25), prohibits the construction of new houses in areas at risk from flooding, except in certain exceptional circumstances.
On the level
However, the UK Government's stated aim of building 4 million new homes by 2015, combined with the scarcity of land in the south and east of England, means that it's likely that new housing will continue to be built on flood plains.
One design option considered by the SCI was the use of composite ground floors. Composite ground floors provide an impermeable barrier against rising groundwater and can either be incorporated into the design of new houses or installed during the refurbishment of flood-damaged property.
Where the maximum floodwater level is not likely to exceed 800mm above ground level, an extended G beam is proposed to provide an impervious barrier within the walls. For refurbishment, steel hangers are placed over the inner leaf of brickwork or blockwork in the space created by the removal of old timber joists. This hanger then supports a new light steel edge beam, which in turn supports the steel decking and the in-situ concrete slab. The upstand is hidden from view behind the new plasterboard dry lining.
Source
Construction Manager
Postscript
The project was funded by Corus.
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