Living with flooding: action plan

Aims, Objectives and Actions

The overall aim of the action plan is to improve the flood resilience of Scotland’s properties. To do this the PFRDG recommends building a better evidence base and providing clear guidance to support positive changes. The diagram below summarises the actions identified by the PFRDG.

Working collaboratively with projects and organisations across Scotland and UK.

Objectives	Actions
Building a better evidence base Through research and case studies, determine the uptake of, the successes, the obstacles to uptake and cost benefits of PFR.	Investigate current levels of PFR measures and identify how to help owners make changes to their property to increase flood resilience.
	Recognise and promote good resilience practice by exploring case studies and research reports and use these to determine the costs and benefits of PFR
Influencing policy and providing clear guidance Provide clear, consistent information and guidance on PFR used by industry and property owners or occupiers.	Influence policy makers and practitioners to include PFR in policy and guidance to provide consistent guidance at a national level.
	Encourage training of PFR with designers, surveyors, local authorities, insurance professionals and the public.
Recognising and supporting positive change Encourage more PFR measures during renovations or re-instatement by promoting the economic and social benefits of flood resilience.	Develop and deliver communications designed to engage key audiences and deliver the Action Plan.
	Identify, learn from and influence programmes of work relating to increasing the uptake of PFR to maximise impact and ensure a joined-up approach

The PFRDG recommends the following actions and steps to meet the aim of the action plan.

Action 1:
Research

The Group does not have up-to-date information about the effectiveness, uptake or the obstacles to PFR in Scotland. A number of studies have however documented the benefits of PFR and a 2014 report^[4]
for the Scottish Government showed positive economic benefits for property level flood protection (PLP) in Scotland. A baseline study is an important starting point for the Action Plan.

Investigate current levels of PFR measures and identify how to help owners make changes to their property to increase flood resilience.

The PFRDG recommends the following tasks:

• Establish a baseline of PFR measures in Scotland
• Identify which properties might benefit from PFR
• Explore the reasons why people do not install PFR measures
• Identify what would help encourage owners to make resilient changes to their properties; looking at lessons from Scotland, the UK and internationally, and across other disciplines, for example, energy efficiency.

Action 2:
Recognising resilience

Measuring the benefits of PFR is challenging.
The Group needs evidence from case studies and research to show the benefits of PFR and identify
how to acknowledge the benefit of measures taken.

Recognise and promote good resilience practice by exploring case studies and research reports and use these to determine the costs and benefits of PFR

The PFRDG recommends the following tasks:

• Input to and share research about resilience measures (installation, process and products) and promote the results with the construction and insurance industries.
• Use case studies to support implementation of the Action Plan
• Determine the costs and benefits of PFR
• Engage with people whose homes or businesses have flooded and assess post flood damage and return–to-occupancy times of those with and without PFR
• Consider the benefits of a database of flood resilient properties to help assess effectiveness of measures.

Action 3:
Influencing and informing policy

Relevant national guidance and policies should
refer to PFR. The PFRDG recommends working
with organisations to review relevant documents
and policies to include or strengthen the guidance given on resistance and resilience measures.

Influence policy makers and practitioners to include PFR in policy and guidance to provide consistent guidance at a national level

The PFRDG recommends the following tasks:

• Investigate and provide evidence that informs changes to the Scottish Building Regulations Technical Handbooks and Scottish Planning Guidance
• Investigate and recommend changes to the Home Report to include information relating to flood risk and PFR and identify what data sources could be used
• Consider how the next Flood Risk Management Strategies should recognise PFR as a flood risk management action
• Identify other strategies and plans that should refer to PFR and work with organisations to recommend changes
• Work to include CIRIA Code of Practice within relevant areas of policy.

Action 4:
Training

Suitably trained professionals are needed to increase PFR. The Group will engage with professional bodies to ensure PFR is recognised.

Encourage training of PFR with designers, surveyors, local authorities, insurance professionals and the public.

The PFRDG recommends the following tasks:

• Investigate the current gap in PFR skills, knowledge and capacity and identify what we need to know
• Develop a current and future training plan by:
  • reviewing existing PFR related training courses and
  • investigating future needs and align required training with Higher Education courses.

Action 5:
Communications and engagement

To encourage an increase in PFR, clear and consistent messages are required. Stakeholders need consistent information and advice. A communications plan will be developed to help deliver the Action Plan.

Develop and deliver communications designed to engage key audiences and deliver the Action Plan

The PFRDG recommends the following tasks:

• Identify key audiences and messages
• Promote consistent approaches to PFR by supporting and encouraging the use of the Property Flood Resilience Code of Practice and establish this guidance as the ‘industry standard’ in PFR.

Action 6:
Work with Initiatives and Organisations across Scotland, the UK and internationally

Related, relevant programmes of work and research exist across the UK and it will be important that, where possible, these work together and share learning and produce joint outcomes. In particular, this is the case with the Defra Flood Resilient Properties Working Group where formal links exist with the PFRDG.

Identify, learn from and influence programmes of work relating to increasing the uptake of PFR to maximise impact and ensure a joined-up approach.

The following known programmes will be monitored and co-working developed where possible and appropriate:

• Flood Re Transition Plan
• Defra Flood Resilient Properties Working Group
• EPSRC Water Resilient Cities Programme

New programmes of work will be identified and influenced