I don’t know if you’ve noticed but London has been really rather soggy lately. We’re currently in the damp depths of one of the wettest winters on record – and I’m sorry to continue to rain on your parade, but the future isn’t looking too much brighter (or drier, for that matter). A recent report from Aviva has revealed that London could be acute danger of flooding and subsidence (the sinking of the ground beneath a property). Wonderful news, right?
The insurance company analysed each and every parliamentary constituency in England, Scotland, and Wales to uncover the areas most likely to become uninsurable (and therefore uninhabitable) by 2050. And of the top 20 most vulnerable areas, 7 of them are in London.
According to the report, densely-populated areas of the capital are likely to be the worst hit. Bermondsey and Old Southwark topped the charts as the areas most at risk to flooding. 90.4% of the properties in these areas are in danger of flood damage. Vauxhall and Camberwell Green were the next most-vulnerable London locations, with 74.5% of the properties at risk. 64.5% of the properties in Battersea are in danger of flooding or subsidence, and 46% of the properties in Peckham.
The report also highlighted two London landmarks that are at high risk of climate change-related damage. The Red House in south-east London is already experiencing some subsidence due to the fact that it was built on soil containing high-quality London Clay. And Hampton Court Palace is also in a rather vulnerable position due to its riverside location.
Jason Storah at Aviva said: “Despite the findings in our report, it is not too late to act. There is excellent work already underway across the UK, with owners, guardians, communities and councils working together to protect some of our most iconic places.
“There are solutions – big and small – which could help to improve the UK’s climate-readiness if we take collaborative and urgent action. Continued investment in flood defences, preventing unprotected new homes in flood zones, encouraging low-cost property resilience measures, and attracting more investment in nature-based solutions will help to mitigate the damage inflicted by a changing climate in future.”