Significant risk of flooding - environment search report

littlesparkles

I'm buying a new build and today received the environment report. It shows a flood map for surface water and there are some areas of significant and low risk on this. My plot has significant risk within 0 metres (so on the plot) and low risk surrounding. The report states that this map doesn't take into account any new drainage on the new development site. What can I do to have this checked further? I am worried about any insurance implications. My previous buy was an upper floor flat so I didn't have this to worry about.

daveyjp

Look at the planning application for the development, usually available on line via the Local Authority website which passed the plans and read the Flood Risk Assessment report. The EA flood risk maps are pretty much useless as the data they use is too raw.

martinsurrey

ask the developer about thier flood risk assesment and management plan, they will have had to do one for planning (if its a multi plot site).

good luck and try not to worry too much about it.

Senior_Paper_Monitor

Get your insurance quotes now - you may not find this much fun.

namecheck

I seem to remember that the OP is buying from Taylor Wimpey.

The potential for flooding on one of their sites does not unduly surprise me. However, I would now run a mile - although I personally would not have considered a TW new (or second hand) home in the first place.

littlesparkles

Yes it's Taylor Wimpey. The surface water flood risk is only on a small proportion of the site but my plot is in the little section of red on the risk map. I visited the site during the very bad rain recently and all appeared to be okay. But I am no flood expert! Is there some sort of expert I could commission to look into this?

Better_Days

OP, you also need to consider the potential effect on the value of the property when you come to sell, especially if it isn't long after your purchase. You may intend to stay years, but circumstances can change very quickly.

The suggestion that you contact some insurers is a good place to start.

My feeling is that there are too many variables, you just don't know if TW have done the flood prevention work they have said, and if they have how effective it will be. And when there gets to be a certain amount of water, no flood prevention will work. What does seem to be the case is that the weather is getting more unpredictable.

A few years ago I worked on the first floor of an office and could see across the town. There was an old greyhound track which in the wet weather became a substantial lake with ducks and swans on it. Couldn't believe it when PP was granted and posh 'town houses' were built on the site. They look lovely, but wouldn't live there for all the tea in China.....there are much less riskier options available.

littlesparkles

Thanks for the replies. I have all the planning docs that we're submitted to the council so I will go through these again. I still would like to consult some sort of expert/professional - who could this be? A regular surveyor or someone more specialised?

Also is this the same search that a potential buyer in the future would see? The disclaimer on the report is that the report doesn't take the new development into consideration so I'm guessing a future search would include the new development.

littlesparkles

Also with regards to insurance: I have already obtained quotes through a variety of comparison sites and was happy with these. However will these quotes change based on the flood report? Is there somewhere that I have to declare this?

SouthCoast

I know of some properties that were recently flooded and will be uninhabital for up to a year.

I am on The Environment Agecy flood risk alert system.

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/floods/31650.aspx

Notmyrealname

Walk away and find somewhere else. The best drainage system the builders can put in cannot cope with the deluges we've had this summer.