What is Property Flood Resilience?
Property Flood Resilience (PFR) involves installing measures on individual properties to reduce the impact of flooding. It is most suitable for properties in locations that are vulnerable to flooding, but where a large scale flood protection scheme isn't viable. This may be for technical, practical or economic reasons.
There are two approaches to PFR:
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Resistance: Stopping the water from coming in. This can be by using barriers such as:
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flood gates on doors
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waterproof air bricks
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non-return valves on water outlets
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Recoverability: Making the property more resilient to flooding. This is so that it recovers faster after a flood and you can move back in sooner. This can involve using flood resilient building materials and raising sockets further up walls.
You can find out more about PFR options on the BeFloodReady website.
Visit the BeFloodReady website
Cornwall Council is currently developing a PFR grant scheme that will provide property flood hazard surveys and grants to support homeowners to install PFR. If you would like to be considered for the scheme, you can register your interest on Let's Talk Cornwall. Participants will be prioritised based on need and vulnerability.
Cornwall Council has also recently run two projects to promote property flood resilience (PFR). Find out about each of the projects below.
South West PFR Pathfinder
Cornwall Council was one of three Lead Local Flood Authorities (LLFAs) to successfully obtain funding from Defra. This funding was for a pathfinder project to boost the uptake of PFR measures. Cornwall Council delivered the project on behalf of all five LLFAs in the South West region:
- Cornwall Council
- Devon County Council
- The Isles of Scilly Council
- Torbay District Council
- Plymouth City Council
The pathfinder created the BeFloodReady brand and ran workshops on flood risk and resilience with residents and industry, as well as climate champions workshops with businesses. As an awareness raising tool, the project commissioned 'Missy's tale'. Missy's tale is an animated video from Aardman Animations, which illustrates flood risk and the benefits of PFR.
The project also established the South West Climate Change Centre at Heartlands in Pool. The project created two exhibits, focussed on property flood resilience and climate change. The PFR exhibit demonstrates PFR techniques and products available. The climate change exhibit has interactives on the potential impact of climate change and changes we can make to mitigate them. These exhibits are free to visit but are currently available by arrangement only. Please contact us if you would like to arrange a visit. The project also created a mobile roadshow - the 'FloodPod'.
The project created the BeFloodReady website. We also provide PFR information through the Cornwall Community Flood Forum website.
You can find out more about the work of the Pathfinder by watching the PFR video .
As well as the LLFA's listed above, we worked with Delivery partners including:
- JBA Consulting
- University of the West of England
- Cornwall Community Flood Forum
- Devon Community Resilience Forum
- The Environment Agency
- The Eden Project
- Climate Vision
- Premier Water Solutions
- Richfords Fire and Flood
Cornwall PFR Delivery Project 2020 - 2022
As a result of the Pathfinder, we ran a PFR delivery project. With the Environment Agency, we made funding available to support properties at risk of flooding to install PFR on their homes. We helped people to:
- Carry out a risk assessment to determine how and why your property is at risk of flooding
- Conduct a survey to determine which PFR measures would work in your situation
- Provide a certified contractor to supply and fit the measures to the National Code of Practice standards
- In some circumstances, help to pay for installation.
Through this scheme we funded over 40 flood hazard surveys and supported almost 30 households to better protect their properties from flooding. We prioritised participants on need and vulnerability.
This delivery scheme has now closed. If you would be interested in future PFR delivery schemes, you can register an interest in assistance in obtaining PFR for your property. Please complete the form on Let’s Talk Cornwall.
