Discussion
Now I haven't been flooded thank God.
However a couple of roads that I walk down every so often were flooded early(ish)last year. Not a widespread flooding event maybe 40 houses tops, but a few feet deep. Cause btw was a local beck that people had been warning TPTB was in danger due to build up of local vegetation, rubbish washed down from upstream etc likely to block a culvert. That's another discussion.
Anyway thick end of a year later the place is still a bomb site. Houses and downstairs flats empty, or occasional families have decamped upstairs. Skips full of wet crap still occupying front gardens. Most houses have very little activity going on, those that have some repair work it seems to be half assed one man and his dog type operations. This is not a crappy area btw, but some quite reasonable terraces and detached private houses. one block of modern maisonettes.
Now I know that time is needed to clear out, get back to salvageble / repairable stuff, dry it out and then repair and make good, redecorate and so on.
But I keep hearing that the building industry is on its uppers with no work. So why is nothing / very little going on? How hard can it be?
I mean, setting aside planning regs issue, in the time taken every one of these properties could probably have been flattened and rebuilt from ground up. Note this isn't a serious suggestion of how to tackle the aftermath of a major flood event, just trying to put it in some sort of perspective.
However a couple of roads that I walk down every so often were flooded early(ish)last year. Not a widespread flooding event maybe 40 houses tops, but a few feet deep. Cause btw was a local beck that people had been warning TPTB was in danger due to build up of local vegetation, rubbish washed down from upstream etc likely to block a culvert. That's another discussion.
Anyway thick end of a year later the place is still a bomb site. Houses and downstairs flats empty, or occasional families have decamped upstairs. Skips full of wet crap still occupying front gardens. Most houses have very little activity going on, those that have some repair work it seems to be half assed one man and his dog type operations. This is not a crappy area btw, but some quite reasonable terraces and detached private houses. one block of modern maisonettes.
Now I know that time is needed to clear out, get back to salvageble / repairable stuff, dry it out and then repair and make good, redecorate and so on.
But I keep hearing that the building industry is on its uppers with no work. So why is nothing / very little going on? How hard can it be?
I mean, setting aside planning regs issue, in the time taken every one of these properties could probably have been flattened and rebuilt from ground up. Note this isn't a serious suggestion of how to tackle the aftermath of a major flood event, just trying to put it in some sort of perspective.
There's also the cost/benefit of fixing those nbuildings vs building anew elsewhere. If your lender wants insurances to guarantee the development loan/mortgage, and the insurers... now won't, or at least charge prohibitive premiums because of flood risk, it ain't gonna happen soon.
Not until the land value is at a premium, anyway.
Not until the land value is at a premium, anyway.
Edited by Huff on Tuesday 24th February 14:01
Chrisgr31 said:
How old is the development? It may be that there has been a realisation that the site is going to flood regularly and therefore the works to restore have stalled waiting for a solution to the cause of the flooding?
Old development 60's 70's and maybe a bit earlier in parts I'd guess. First time flood as far as I can gather, entirely caused by lack of maintenance resulting in a culvert being partially blocked and then backing up.This isn't where I live, it's just a route I use at lunchtimes on way to shops etc when at one of our sites.
Just seems odd the progress rate, I was there about 2/3 days after the flood and most places had already got their stuff cleared out onto the garden. I know drying out takes some time but the time spent at what appears to the refurbishment stage is very odd, e.gg walls are replastered in many cases, and some decorating going on. But it's been like that for a month!
Suspect it is the insurance company as mentioned above. If it were me I'd be royally brassed off.
Carlisle flooded in January 2005, there are still empty homes on some of the main roads into town.
It can take a long time to dry out, clean, plaster and floor (+ whatever else needs doing) a house that's been flooded- think of all the effluent floating about when the drains are overcome.
Not to mention insurance companies can drag their heels!
It can take a long time to dry out, clean, plaster and floor (+ whatever else needs doing) a house that's been flooded- think of all the effluent floating about when the drains are overcome.
Not to mention insurance companies can drag their heels!
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