Adapting to Climate Change
How we are addressing this issue:
We seek to minimise climate change risk on our homes through a thorough consideration of both adaptation and mitigation measures on all our developments. Flooding is currently the most pertinent climate change issue and is a key consideration that is reviewed during the land acquisition, planning and design process. It is becoming an issue of increasing importance in light of recent Government cuts to flood defence spending and the likely challenges that this will lead to in terms of flood insurance availability.
In order to ensure that we consider future climate change risks, we examine flood risks as part of our due diligence approach to buying land, and work with local planning authorities to agree suitable flood protection measures at all developments. For many of our developments, this includes implementing sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) to reduce the risk of flooding to the development and local area.
In 2009, we mapped the predicted changes in climate in the areas in which we build and found that temperatures could increase by up to 1.5°C by 2020. We therefore also need to ensure that customers do not become uncomfortably hot in their homes, and are exploring design solutions to accommodate this.
Our performance:
In 2010/11:
- 100% of our schemes submitted for planning had considered, or had committed to consider, climate change risks as part of development design and construction. Measures include full flood risk assessments undertaken during the planning process and assessment of overheating risk as part of Building Regulations Part L compliance.
Our Vision2020 commitments and ambitions:
As part of delivering Vision2020 we have set specific objectives for continuing to ensure that we consider future climate change risks at the developments we build.
Our commitment from May 2011:
- Consider future climate change risks as part of development design and construction
Our ambition from May 2012:
- Put in place adaptation measure on all developments to address future climate change risks
Case studies:
Designing to mitigate flood risk: Blackheath Road
At our Blackheath Road development, flood risks highlighted through the Flood Risk Assessment process led to design alterations which ensure that no habitable space is provided at ground level and all residential dwellings sit above maximum flood levels. Safe escape routes have also been included in the development in accordance with DEFRA guidance. These efforts to adapt to climate change related flood risks improve the long-term resilience and value of the development.
Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems: Woodberry Down
Our Woodberry Down development in the London Borough of Hackney is a large brownfield site which has managed to achieve the equivalent of greenfield surface water run-off rates. A Design Code incorporating SUDS was established for the whole estate which enabled drainage details to be built into the whole development process, and include swales, green roofs, permeable paving and some cellular storage. A further benefit was that the planning process, from a drainage perspective, was straightforward, without any delays. The site now features as a case study in the Communities and local Governments Planning Policy Statement 25 on Development and Flood Risk.
