New homes, not new floods, says ABI
- Published: 13/07/2007
New homes built in Britain need to be constructed with flood defence considerations firmly in mind, a leading UK body has said.
Prime minister Gordon Brown recently announced that the government would be looking to build three million new homes in Britain by the year 2020 - as affordability constraints continue to affect first-time buyers and others struggling to make their way onto the property ladder.
But leading UK insurance body the Association of British Insurers (ABI) says that planners should bear in mind the recent disastrous spate of flooding when constructing these new homes.
"Britain needs to accelerate new housing developments. But these must be in the right place and to the right design," Stephen Haddrill, the ABI's director general, commented.
"These new homes must not be built on our floodplains and they must be designed so that they are more resilient against extreme weather. Let's not create the next disaster before we have put right the current situation."
Prime minister Gordon Brown recently announced that the government would be looking to build three million new homes in Britain by the year 2020 - as affordability constraints continue to affect first-time buyers and others struggling to make their way onto the property ladder.
But leading UK insurance body the Association of British Insurers (ABI) says that planners should bear in mind the recent disastrous spate of flooding when constructing these new homes.
"Britain needs to accelerate new housing developments. But these must be in the right place and to the right design," Stephen Haddrill, the ABI's director general, commented.
"These new homes must not be built on our floodplains and they must be designed so that they are more resilient against extreme weather. Let's not create the next disaster before we have put right the current situation."