Hull in print

June 25, 2007 is a date that many Hull families will never forget.
It was the day that huge amounts of rain fell.
During the heaviest period of rainfall, the equivalent of 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools fell on the city - every second.
Almost 9,000 homes were flooded, 91 out of 99 schools were affected and 1,300 businesses were disrupted.
Hull was the worst affected area in Britain.
By Christmas, more than 800 people were still living in caravans, and even now – a year on - many people's daily routines are still far from normal.
"We have never experienced a natural disaster on such a scale before," says leader of Hull City Council Carl Minns.
"And while we can't prevent natural disasters, we can put in place measures to minimise their effects in the future."

Planning protection

Before the floods had even struck, Hull City Council commissioned a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA).
Completed last November by international planning consultancy firm Halcrow Group Limited, the assessment makes a number of recommendations.
These include building new properties in flood risk areas higher off the ground, concrete floors, and electric sockets further up the walls.
The assessment, which also had input from the Environment Agency and East Riding of Yorkshire Council, provides a detailed understanding of the flood risks faced by Hull.
"About 95 per cent of the city is on flood plains - so it's vital we have detailed information and expert planning recommendations for all our future building developments," said Cllr John Fareham, chairman of Hull City Council's planning committee.
"In fact our planning system has already played a key role in protecting new residential properties – because since 2003 we've only been granting planning permission to those with raised floor levels - and in last year's extreme rainfall I'm told that not one of these properties flooded."

Learning lessons

All major development programmes in Hull are now being influenced by the SFRA.
That includes the Building Schools for the Future programme, through which more than £400 million is available to rebuild and remodel all the city's secondary and special schools, from 2010.
Recommendations here, for example, include designing school playing fields to store excess surface water.
Urban regeneration company Hull Forward (formerly Hull Citybuild), is also taking into account the findings of the SFRA in planning future developments, including the regeneration of the historic fruit market area near Hull Marina, and plans to revitalise the east bank of the River Hull.
The Gateway Pathfinder scheme, through which £150 million is being spent over the next three years to improve the quality of housing in parts of east and west Hull, is also ensuring its new developments are more resilient to flooding.

Working together

Also acting on some of the findings of the SFRA, is a team of key partners known as the Multi-Agency Flood Forum.
The team, which meets every month, includes Hull City Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, Yorkshire Water, the Environment Agency, Halcrow Group Ltd and the Holderness Drainage Board.
Its long-term aim is to ensure Hull and the surrounding area effectively manages the risk of flooding, including:

assessing flood defences and their strength and height
assessing how best to use rural land to deal with excess water

Blitz on gullies

In the meantime, Hull City Council has allocated additional budget to increase its gully cleaning service.
Gully cleansing crews will "blitz" the city area by area, and once cleaned and flowing, each gully will be tagged.
Signs will be put up a few days before cleaning, to ask for residents' co-operation in keeping the street clear of obstruction in order to make sure every gully is cleared.
An annual gulley cleaning schedule has been posted on the council's website showing the streets which will be cleaned on a monthly basis.
(www.hullcc.gov.uk – then click on 'transport and streets,' then 'roads and paths' then 'gully cleansing.') Over the last year all adopted ten foot gullies have already been cleaned.
What's more the council is now operating a cleansing service for gullies in private streets, including ten foots, at a cost of £30 per gully.

Spicing it up

Hull has teamed up with four other European ports to share best practice in flood management.
Edinburgh, Rotterdam, Copenhagen and Hamburg are all linked, together with Hull, through a project called SPICE (which stands for 'Strategic Port towns Innovate to adapt to the Changing Environment').
The project, for which approval is expected this month from the European Union, will involve each of the cities working on different aspects of water management.
Around a million euros could be available in Hull, for example, to undertake a pilot project to develop flood-resistant houses.
Their features could possibly include water-resistant plaster, water storage tanks under driveways and rainwater recycling facilities.

Advice for residents

Last month Hull City Council delivered a 20-page booklet to every home in the city outlining how residents can take steps to protect themselves and their families during emergencies.
If you have not received a booklet please call 300300

info

For more information, including a full downloadable copy of the SFRA, visit www.hullcc.gov.uk or call 300300.


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