Development of Smart Flood House using Larkfleet Homes StartLink Technology

The
ever increasing likelihood of flood events occurring has helped to create a pinch-point in
the supply of adequate new house builds in key infrastructural areas. It is more difficult to use
suitable land in flood risk categories because planning authorities are now being advised by
the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to “allocate, and where necessary relocate,
development away from flood risk areas”; no doubt a sensible step without suitable
alternatives. However, this has the cause of moving developments into more green-field sites
that require significant civil infrastructure investment, while also creating environmental
challenges.
Furthermore, housing associations are under severe pressure as they seek to provide suitable
accommodation in urbanised areas. Building insurance providers are also on the same
trajectory and now refuse to take any risks on new properties built on nominally at risk land.
The barriers to building traditionally constructed homes in appropriate planning areas
continue to mount on the back of increasingly wetter seasons and climate change.
In the face of sub-optimal solutions to the problems highlighted, there is an immediate and
pressing need to develop a house with flood proof characteristics. This project seeks to take
advantage of a novel lightweight house, whose structure is inert and impervious to moisture,
in order to develop an economically viable smart flood proof house (SFPH). To deliver this
market innovation, the project will develop: specialist active lifting mechanism, structural
lifting platform, associated flexible services modules.
Realisation of these technical objectives will result in the creation of a SFPH, which will in
turn, bring back into play strategic and desirable land, both for private and social building
purposes that is currently deemed too risky to build upon. A multitude of social and economic
benefits will also follow