R12
WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR DEVELOPING LAND ON A FLOOD PLAIN ?
Discuss each of the statements below. What are the reasons for developing land & living next to a river
that could, at some time in the future, flood? Some of the statement below are true, others are false. One
or two may be partly true & partly false. Can you tell the difference?
1. Most lowland river flood plains are flat .
2. Despite flooding dangers, riverside building plots are very expensive. Only very large executive
style housing over £300 thousand can therefore be built helping to pay for the high cost of land.
3. Heavy industrial developments, in the 1990’s, were built next to rivers to allow easy import of
bulk raw materials.
4. Housing estates can be built next to rivers, provided adequate flood protection schemes are
constructed beforehand.
5. Factory developments have been built on river flood plains because there is plenty of room to
expand, if factory extensions are needed in the future.
6. Only expensive housing is built next to rivers, as buyers with money, like beautiful scenery &
country views.
7. New housing developments are often built next to rivers so that river sand & gravel can be used in
construction. It reduces transport costs.
8. Development on floodplains is far easier because the land is flat, & the construction of buildings is
so much easier.
9. New housing development next to rivers is far too risky, and insurance companies will not insure
against flood damage.
10. The only use for flood plain land, next to a river, is for the grazing of livestock (cows & sheep).
Animals can be moved if there is a danger of flooding. The land is therefore very cheap to buy for
alternative property development.
11. Houses are often built in Britain next to rivers to supply a reliable and cheap supply of drinking
water.
12. The demand for new housing is increasing, and we are running out of flat land to develop. The
only cheap option was to build on flood plains, and hope there are few serious floods.
13. Houses can no longer be built on flood plain sites, liable to flooding, due to new government
building regulations.
14. Local authorities and building companies will build on any available land, even if it is liable to
flooding, if they can make large amounts of money from a deal.
15. New housing & factory developments, with linking roads, are still being built next to rivers that
may flood, because it gives a choice of routes reducing traffic congestion in the rush hour.
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