With climate change bringing increasingly extreme weather conditions to the UK, thousands of years of British heritage could be significantly damaged, or even destroyed.
According to a report from the Landmark Information Group, a provider of property and environmental risk information, key buildings like Eton College, Salisbury Cathedral, Kings College Cambridge and Beaumaris Castle in Anglesey could be lost.
‘Unfortunately, flood risk is now a very real situation here to stay in the UK. The likelihood of this causing damage to fragile buildings and structures is high,’ says James Sherwood-Rogers, managing director of Landmark Legal & Finance.
The study says two main threats are erosion to monuments and the walls of ancient houses becoming sodden, because gutters and down-pipes cannot cope with the recent high volumes of rainfall.
‘Valuable collections of antiques and expensive furnishings also could be ruined in a flood.’
Standards are in place for new building projects, but with over two million properties in the UK already at risk, it is important to review continuously the impact of flood risk on all property, adds Mr Sherwood-Rogers.
With more warnings in place and measures people are aware they can take to protect their homes from such an eventuality, ‘people can limit potential damage by being aware of the risks from the outset.’