Following further guidance from Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), we are preparing to access the above scheme for properties affected by the Storm Babet event.
Closing dates for grant applications have been issued, we are asking for any applications to be received, checked and approved by the Wiltshire Council Drainage Team before 15th January 2024.
What is Property Flood Resilience (PFR)
Property Flood Resilience refers to any measure that can be applied to a building to make people and property less vulnerable to the physical impacts of flooding.
It can help people and property become more resilient to the impacts of flooding and reduce the length of time needed for recovery if flooding were to re-occur, however there is always a residual risk that people and properties will still be flooded.
The PFR Repair Grant Scheme
The purpose of the Scheme is to assist property owners to improve the flood resilience of their individual properties when they repair them after a flood.
The outcome from this funding should be that if flooding were to reoccur, damage levels would be considerably lower, and property owners and businesses could return to their properties much more quickly.
Intended as a one-off payment to assist properties in becoming resilient to future floods as part of the repair process.
This scheme offers householders and businesses up to £5,000 per property to fund measures which improve a property’s resilience over and above repairs that would normally be covered by insurance.
The Grant is only available to people where the habitable living or business area of the properties have been damaged by entry of flood water, necessitating drying out and/or repairs to the fabric of the building.
Collaborative applications (applications where individual property owners decide to pool their grants) will be supported and encouraged, where the approach offers a better standard of flood risk reduction than would be the case by treating each property individually.
Scheme Eligibility
The following are considered eligible properties under this scheme:
Residential properties (including accommodation such as static caravans where this is the primary residence, defined as a location registered on the electoral role) where habitable internal areas of the premise have been damaged by flooding by the relevant event.
Businesses (including social enterprises), charitable organisations and educational establishment properties where internal areas of the premises which are critical to the day-to-day operations (i.e. not storage sheds or warehouses)
Garages, outhouses, storage areas, second homes, empty homes, basements or cellars not used as part of the habitable or business use of the property are not eligible for the Scheme.
Surveys
A property survey is required as part of the scheme to identify things such as where the flooding came from, and the best PFR measures to prevent or limit reoccurrence.
A survey must be carried out by a suitably qualified independent surveyor.
Up to £500 of the total grant money can be used to fund the cost of a survey.
Any cost above £500 would need to be met by the property owner.
While Local Authorities will not be expected to undertake the repair work or contract directly with external contractors, including surveyors, Local Authorities will be responsible for verifying the eligibility of applications and the quality of work undertaken.
PFR Standards of Work
The Property Flood Resilience Code of Practice (CoP) is concerned with PFR measures that can be introduced to buildings at risk from flooding.
The Code covers both flood resistance – measures which can help prevent water from entering properties - and flood resilience, which help to limit the damage that floods cause.
The CoP includes six standards that specify what should be achieved.
The expectation is that the applicant will make arrangements and enter contracts with external contractors.
Local Authorities are not expected to undertake the work or contract directly with external contractors.
However, Local Authorities do have the discretion to co-ordinate this if they would prefer advice to applicants is independent and impartial and people are not pressured into adopting unsuitable approaches.
Applications
To register for access to the grant funding, please complete the attached Application Form and return to drainage@wiltshire.gov.uk before 15th January 2024.