“THE PRACTICE OF RECLAIMING LAND CAN PROVIDE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD IN FLOOD PROTECTION”
immediate locality, but it’s an unsightly solution and – critically – it simply shunts the problem further downstream. Large-scale engineering fixes of this sort do have their place, but building them is disruptive. And, like Bath’s proposed subterranean flood channel, which was ruled out on cost grounds, massive civil works can come with a prohibitive price tag. “By appraising all of the different options, a flexible strategy was developed that could provide greater protection over time – and a funding strategy was launched that involved developers making a contribution,” says Savage. One of the approaches was to embed
Land reclamation has been a big part of Bahrain’s growth as well as its efforts to cope with the impact of climate change.
areas and provide new villages? Do you allow for growth but sacrifice some of the best agricultural land in the country? You must develop methodologies to answer these questions,” says Savage.
The big picture Figures published by the UK Environment Agency suggest that global temperature rises could have significant implications for the UK, with peak rainfall intensity rising by 10 per cent and peak river flows up 20 per cent in the next two decades. In February 2010 Lord Smith spoke of the
Environment Agency’s long-term investment strategy, published in 2009, which highlights the scale of investment required to protect England from flooding. “Our modelling suggests that we need an increase in investment in building, improving and maintaining defences – from current levels up to more than £1bn a year by 2035
– to ensure that present levels of protection are sustained and improved in the face of climate change,” he said. The predicted effects of climate change
are, however, aggregate figures, intended to paint a general picture of the sort of changes that could occur. So what could changes like this mean at the level of an individual city? And can anything be done? The city of Bath lies on the River Avon in the west of England. There’s nothing unique about Bath’s riverside location: most major settlements are sited close to rivers or oceans. But local topography exacerbates flood risk. Bath – a world heritage site – is tucked into a relatively deep valley at the southern end of the Cotswold hills. Heavy rainfall in the city’s hilly catchment area can turn the Avon into a torrent within hours. The higher peak flows predicted by the
Environment Agency are – potentially – bad news for Bath, which is already prone to
flooding and has a high concentration of homes and businesses in its river corridor. In spring 2009 Atkins was commissioned
to prepare a flood risk management strategy for Bath & North East Somerset Council. The study identifies ways in which sites at risk of flooding can be built on without increasing the risk of flooding elsewhere. The key is balancing the need for economic development with flood protection. “A lot of the future brownfield development sites in Bath are along the river frontage,” explains Savage. “The possible effects of different flood events on the city had to be considered and options explored for mitigating those events, through planning policy, with both on-site and off-site solutions.”
Flood management is one of the trickiest
areas of strategic planning. Water has to go somewhere – but where? Raising the height of river walls provides protection in the
resilience in each individual development by providing space for water on site and raising buildings to minimise the impact of flooding. “That can have an impact on development viability, though,” says Savage. “A more strategic approach is required as well. This involves providing a larger flood storage area upstream. Developers contribute in proportion to the volume of water storage they would have needed to provide on site. It solves the problem in a far more cost-effective way.” “When you look at issues such as climate change, a lot of emphasis is placed on hard technology – smart gadgets, smart infrastructure,” says Savage. “Whereas planning is more like soft infrastructure – it’s about dealing with people, dealing with concerns, finding mechanisms to work through these different problems. A plan is a good way to do that.” Planning for climate change means taking account of the possibilities and then guiding development through local, regional and national planning mechanisms. The key is an ability to assess risks that may lie years or even decades away. And as the strategy for Bath confirms, creative approaches are likely to become increasingly important.
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