Buying New Build Close to Flood Zone 2/3

Noneforit999

Hi

We are looking at a development which is fairly close to a Zone 2 and 3 Flood area. The developer has said none of the houses will be in the flood zones at all, they will all be at least 100m North of it. They are also building a large attenuation basin at the South of the development to collect any rainwater etc.

Should this concern us if we are looking to buy?

Thanks

user1977

Look at the papers in the planning application (on the council's website) - that will include much more detail about flood risk and what they're planning to do about it (and what the council think about it).

TripleH

Talk to the locals, they'll have a good understanding of if / why it floods and if buying there is a good idea?

Vegastare

Another thing to think of is if you are taking a mortgage and house insurance, concern might flag up with mortgage if no finance - most insurance companies ask flood risk questions.
Near us there is planning only for houses and no bungalows.  Agree council a call.

Noneforit999

user1977 said:

Look at the papers in the planning application (on the council's website) - that will include much more detail about flood risk and what they're planning to do about it (and what the council think about it).

The planning application has a boat load of supporting documents, most of which go well over my head.

There is a drainage strategy note where a company did some flow rate calculations.

GDB2222

You may need to pay a professional to help you understand the position. 

Zone 3b areas are classed as ‘functional floodplain', which means it is liable to be flooded rather often. There’s a park near me that’s flooded twice in the last few years, due to the normally tiny brook that runs through it becoming a raging torrent. It does not do much harm to the park, but you would not want a house there.

K_S

@noneforit999 I appreciate that this would be at a later stage but during the conveyancing phase, the search pack that the conveyancer returns to you *should* have details about the flood risk in terms understandable by a layperson. For example, the below excerpt accompanied with detailed summary. 

user1977

K_S said:

@noneforit999 I appreciate that this would be at a later stage but during the conveyancing phase, the search pack that the conveyancer returns to you *should* have details about the flood risk in terms understandable by a layperson. For example, the below excerpt accompanied with detailed summary. 

The trouble is that a desktop search is fairly meaningless for newbuild sites - that will just tell you how prone to flooding Farmer Giles' field (or whatever) is, it doesn't take into account whatever the developers will be doing in the way of regrading ground levels, installing drainage, laying impermeable surfaces etc.

K_S

user1977 said:

K_S said:

@noneforit999 I appreciate that this would be at a later stage but during the conveyancing phase, the search pack that the conveyancer returns to you *should* have details about the flood risk in terms understandable by a layperson. For example, the below excerpt accompanied with detailed summary. 

The trouble is that a desktop search is fairly meaningless for newbuild sites - that will just tell you how prone to flooding Farmer Giles' field (or whatever) is, it doesn't take into account whatever the developers will be doing in the way of regrading ground levels, installing drainage, laying impermeable surfaces etc.

@user1977 Out of interest, what else does a buyer (or their conveyancer) do due-diligence wise for flooding when buying a new-build? I've never bought a new-build so haven't had to.

daveyjp

As the properties are being built the developer has shown the risk of flooding is no worse now than before they were built.

The attenuation basin will be part of the drainage works to ensure the surface water run off is no higher now than before the development, it is designed to hold water during heavy rainfall which then drains over time. 

user1977

K_S said:

user1977 said:

K_S said:

@noneforit999 I appreciate that this would be at a later stage but during the conveyancing phase, the search pack that the conveyancer returns to you *should* have details about the flood risk in terms understandable by a layperson. For example, the below excerpt accompanied with detailed summary. 

The trouble is that a desktop search is fairly meaningless for newbuild sites - that will just tell you how prone to flooding Farmer Giles' field (or whatever) is, it doesn't take into account whatever the developers will be doing in the way of regrading ground levels, installing drainage, laying impermeable surfaces etc.

@user1977 Out of interest, what else does a buyer (or their conveyancer) do due-diligence wise for flooding when buying a new-build? I've never bought a new-build so haven't had to.

There's not much of use they can do beyond checking that it's got planning consent and that any relevant planning conditions have been discharged. In theory everyone ought to be able to rely on the planners ensuring that houses aren't being built in a disastrously flood-prone area. Though obviously some sites are going to have greater risk than others - if anybody wants more detail then they'll need to digest the reports done for the developers/planners.