esure: Tougher planning controls needed for new homes

Research carried out by esure Home Insurance after the 2007 floods supports the prediction by the ABI (Association of British Insurers) today that a third of the three million new homes the Government plans to build by 2010, which will be on floodplains, could become unsaleable. esure backs the ABI's call for much tougher planning controls to prevent this.

According to esure's poll, 87 per cent of UK adults would not purchase, or would refuse to live in, a property located on a flood plain - a statistic that may worry both town planners and property developers. The risk of flooding and a property's flood history appears to be front of mind for homebuyers due to the fear of potentially suffering the devastating affects of floodwater on both an emotional and financial level.

Vigilance is definitely up as the majority of Brits (93 per cent) - if they were looking to move house - would now check whether a property was at risk from flooding before putting an offer on it. The Environmental Agency provides an online flood map for any UK postcode, clearly showing areas at risk shaded in blue.

Water-side properties appear to have also lost their charm and are likely to warrant a reduction in, rather than an additional premium as interest in them may have begun to dwindle. The research showed that 44 per cent of Brits would now choose not to live in close proximity to a stream, let alone a river.

Mike Pickard, Head of Risk and Underwriting at esure Home Insurance, said: "The age-old adage location, location, location seems to have never been more apt for homebuyers. The fear of flooding has grown as the devastating impact of floodwater on the homes and lives of people in the UK has continued to hit the headlines following last summer's flooding. esure supports the ABI's stance that tougher planning controls are needed for new builds."