
This three year EPSRC funded research study explores a new method for assessing the flood resilience of existing communities.
It provides a framework that can be used to consider multiple flood risk scenarios, with analysis that explores the temporal aspects of recovery, the consequences of property level flood resilience, and how flooding impacts on placemaking. Throughout the study, new tools and techniques for the assessment, data gathering, communication and visualisation of flood risk have been developed to more rigorously understand the consequences of flood events (both tangible and intangible) and benefits of property level resilience (PLR). The village of Yalding in Kent is used as the case study for this research. In 2013/14 residents endured their worst flood in living memory and with large scale flood alleviation strategies proving limited in both technical and economic viability, the community are having to consider the role PLR measures can play in increasing flood resilience. Data on the spatial conditions and consequences of 2013/14 flood has been recorded using surveys, interviews, and community engagement workshops. This information is used to create a sophisticated thresholds model to assess whether Yalding would be more or less resilient to a repeated, or more extreme flood event and how strategies for adaptation could increase the speed of recovery, reduce the number of homes flooded and enhance placemaking. The research has been a multi-disciplinary endeavour, conducted in collaboration with the residents of Yalding, the Environment Agency, Architects, Engineers, and with the support of the Cabinet Office.