UK "needs to rethink flood strategy"
26/1/10
The Royal Institute of British Architects and the Institution for Civil Engineers are together calling for a radical rethink of flood defences in the UK, in a bid to tackle rising sea levels and increases in the frequency of storms.
In a newly published report Facing up to Rising Sea Levels experts call for the government, planning authorities, architects and engineers "to act sooner rather than later". The extreme threat of flooding demands that extreme measures be taken, claims the report, which examines the vulnerability of a number of cities around the UK.
Among the strategies it recommends for dealing with flooding are: moving "critical infrastructure" and housing to safer ground and allowing the water to inundate certain areas; building city-wide sea defences to ensure water does not enter existing urban areas; plus "extending the existing coastline" and building out on to the water.
The report concludes that fundamental changes are required and calls for strong political leadership, the introduction of new funding mechanisms for infrastructure development and changes to planning systems to do more to encourage integrated solutions and innovative long-term local strategies.
