The flood-proof home of the future amid rising sea levels trends now

Having an upstairs kitchen and several inflatable rafts outside is not many people's vision of a dream home.

But this 'flood-proof' design concept may one day be necessary because of rising sea levels across Britain.

Not only that, but a new report warns that as many as 25,550 new homes are set to be built in flash flood risk areas without proper drainage in place.

It has led experts to predict that by 2072 houses will be equipped with escape routes that include inflatable rafts, while also being built with buoyant foundations that allow them to float on rising floodwater.

They could also have gardens with water sensors and flood barriers.

Kitchens will be located on the top floor of houses and power supplies also positioned high up because of the risk of flood water. 

Walls and floors will be made from flood-resistant materials such as masonry, while excess rainwater could be redirected from roofs to an underground drainage network and rooftop gardens will feature water-absorbing plants like ferns.

The eye-catching house design is the vision of flood scientist Dr Jess Neumann, an associate professor at Reading University, and DIY SOS star Gabrielle Blackman.

Insurer LV=GI recruited the duo to highlight the extreme measures that may be required by homeowners to combat floods in 50 years' time amid drastic climate change.

Flash floods are currently causing chaos with 50 flood alerts and warnings issued across England, with further downpours expected. 

In total, more than five million properties in England are already at risk from flooding, while the Environment Agency has said that if current planning outcomes continue, this number could double in the next 50 years.

National planning policy does not currently require sustainable drainage systems to be provided for smaller developments of up to nine homes - even when builds are planned in flood risk areas.

Between June 2021 and June 2022, planning permission was sought to build 35,282 homes in such developments in flood risk areas, a new study for LV=GI and think-tank Localis found. 

Around three quarters of these applications are expected to succeed, which would create about 25,550 new homes that will put extra pressure on already overstretched drainage systems.

Insurance claims to LV=GI from homeowners for surface water flooding have soared by 211 per cent since 2017 – at an average value of £32,000 per claim.

In a survey of 2,000 UK homeowners this month, the firm also found that three quarters are worried about the extent of flooding in the next

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