A situational paradigm on flooding and built environment interventions in the UK

Abstract

Flooding in the United Kingdom (UK) is increasing in both frequency and severity, leading to huge social and economic cost consequences, despite which there seems to be limited data or research on built environment related interventions such as effectiveness of flood defence schemes across the UK. As the UK remains at the pinnacle of urban development, this study seeks to underline the inherent relationship between flooding occurrences and the construction industry related interventions. The study examined the effectiveness of flood defences in the UK, regarding their economic suitability, their physical effectiveness and how they are managed and funded by the UK Government. Case study research strategy was employed and interview was used as the data collection method in the case study. This study revealed that the underlying cause of increased flooding in the UK is due to several factors including; climate change and urbanisation. In terms of the physical defences built to protect the built environment, the study has shed light on the level of protection they offer, their cost effectiveness and how such schemes are financed. This study targeted the creation of a situational paradigm that could be transposed and generalised to enhance the understanding of flooding intervention in the UK and other urban environments.