Flooding SE1

I appreciate we are not at risk of this at present and thoughts go out to those affected.

Does anyone know the chances of the thames barrier failing? SE1 doesnt fair well on teh Environment Agency website!

I don't think the Thames barrier is going to fail, we are probably one of the most protected places in the UK, given how close we are to the City of London, parliament, Downing Street, etc.

Its not just Social Housing that is protected by state spending here in SE1 QV Debate - Council Housing in SE1

Zoe wrote:

I don't think the Thames barrier is going to fail, we are probably one of the most protected places in the UK, given how close we are to the City of London, parliament, Downing Street, etc.

All of those places have the advantage of being on the north bank where ground is higher than on the south bank which is a flood plain. There is a high flood marker on the side of the Jam Factory which indicates a high flood point in early 1900s. It stands between the upper ground and 1st floors, about 10 feet off the ground. Make of that what you wish........

The barrier was designed to withstand all but a 1:2000 year event. Since it was built the effect of glacial rebound has become more pronounced than expected and climate change has resulted in increasing sea levels, which was an unknown phenomena that had not been accounted for at all when it was being designed.

The last I read the 1:2000 year had become more like 1:500 year dropping to 1:200 year by 2030 and 1:50 by 2050, which would put us back where we were before the barrier was built. Hence they are already looking into what a son of Thames barrier built as far downstream as Southend might look like, and how much it might cost and how long it might take to build.

As I understand it, the barrier isn't the problem. The problems are downstream of it where in a worst case scenario flooding could start and spread upstream bypassing the barrier completely. This is why they are looking at a new barrier so far east of the existing one, which when built was a rather pragmatic, cheap solution to the much longer and vastly more expensive downstream alternative.

I was slightly alarmed to hear from the developers of proposed new flats on Morocco Street, earlier this year at their presentation, that it is now illegal to build flats on the ground floor ! That certainly wasn't the case when Leathermarket Court was built in mid-90s (I live on top floor here).

A girl my Nan worked with was drowned as she slept in her basement room in the flood in 1928. Before the Thames Barrier was built it was something Nan always worried about, as she lived in a ground floor flat.

Illegal? Then why have they just built some elsewhere locally. Indeed, in Trinity Square, they have just built flats with residential basements. I'd be more than surprised to find they had made it policy to not allow ground floor residential because of flood risk since about 60% or the entire borough is at risk. There are policies in place regarding flooding and new residential acccommodation, but they relate to ensuring that there is an escape from basement level to a point of safety.

There is policy about commercial or other non residential activity being preferred on ground floors of many buildings, but that has nothing to do with flooding. They do, for example, try to avoid having flats abutting the pavement, particularly in busy and noisy locations. They also do try and get spaces for small shops and businesses where this is viable (and even where it isn't like at Empire Square).

Oh this all depressing. I am ground floor new build (2009) and close-ish to the river - closer than Jam Factory. We are all shared ownership or council on the ground floor.

My friend moved into a groung level flat Downtown (redriff rd rotherhithe)a few years back and all of his electrical sockets are waist high,those in the above floors were usual height,we could only assume this was because of potential flooding from the (very close)river.