Property Flood Resilience Scheme for Knowle and Dorridge
We completed over 200 independent Property Flood Resilience (PFR) surveys in Knowle & Dorridge following surface water flooding events. As a result of two Property Flood Resilience (PFR) schemes, over 300 homes in Solihull will now benefit from enhanced resilience and are better protected from surface water flooding.
- Client: Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
- Location: Knowle and Dorridge, Solihull
- Services
Challenge
Properties in Knowle and Dorridge were impacted by a surface water flooding event in June 2021 during a period of intense, heavy rainfall. The drainage capacity in the area became overwhelmed and resulted in surface water flooding in Knowle and Dorridge which affected over 200 properties. The flood event was short-lived and the water subsided within several hours. Due to the rapid nature of surface water flooding and the absence of advance warnings, residents lacked time to prepare for the event.
Solution
Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) proposed PFR as a viable option for providing flood protection to properties impacted by surface water flooding. In early 2022, we carried out independent PFR surveys at 241 eligible properties in Knowle and Dorridge, having previously carried out similar work in Solihull for 180 properties affected by flooding in May 2018. In total 198 properties signed up for the scheme.
Following the surveys, each property owner received a bespoke report and recommendations for a suite of PFR measures which were to be funded by SMBC. The teams engaged with local residents and encouraged them to develop their own emergency plans for future flood events. They were directed to useful websites including Yorkshire Flood Resilience and Be Flood Ready which were developed as part of the Defra PFR Pathfinders in Yorkshire and the South West.
Benefit
Following our appointment to the scheme, regular meetings were held between ourselves and SMBC. These meetings allowed us to effectively share our understanding of the PFR process, whilst allowing the council to share their knowledge of the local flood history, drainage and flow routes. As a result of the two PFR schemes, over 300 homes in Solihull will now benefit from enhanced resilience and are better protected from surface water flooding. In addition to this, we are working closely with SMBC to further assess the rainfall alert and flood warning system, which can be used to warn residents and trigger the deployment of PFR measures in the various communities across the Borough.
“This framework helped me deliver quality assured PFR to over 300 homes. It gave me a streamlined procurement process with experienced suppliers and all round support. It’s proven to be a vital tool in improving the flood risk situation for our residents who have experienced internal flooding in recent years. I cannot recommend it highly enough.”
Dean Ward, Principal Engineer, Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
For more information about these schemes please contact Shelley Evans.
Services
Delivering transformative technology that is pioneering in the pursuit of flood, water and environmental resilience.
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Developing leading resilience strategies and solutions founded on the integrated modelling and assessment of water quantity, quality and environmental processes.
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Working within a robust and mature digital delivery environment, our engineering specialists work closely with our modelling, hydrology and environmental teams to ensure designs are developed to create efficient, low-carbon and sustainable solutions.
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Our specialists in landscape, heritage, ecology, fisheries, EIA, planning and sustainability all work collaboratively with our engineering designers, modellers and our project managers to develop resilient places.
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Our proven skills and experience make us a natural partner to help support communities and organisations to become more resilient. We support and empower our clients to manage the twin risks of flood and drought, encouraging and delivering effective water management.
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Working with communities across the world to identify and mitigate flood and environmental risks, support sustainable development and build resilience.
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