The Friars has a long and tragic history of Flooding. It suffered badly in the 1953 floods and within the last 15 years it has come many times close to experiencing the dread of water being where water should not be, and land being submerged under a wetness that passeth all understanding. Close examination of most properties in the Friars demonstrates to this day the after effects of Flood water. Let us explain more.
When salt water soaks into bricks, after it dries out from the bricks it leaves behind salt deposits that will always remain. The only thing to remove the salt deposits from walls is to replace the bricks. In the Friars, salt flood water extended as far up to the second storey in some cases. This means that in many properties in the Friars, plaster work will always bubble and blister, the little men with their damp meters will always find evidence of damp and try and persuade you to part with your hard earned cash to buy their magic sealant or whatever it is they are trying to flog you, and may houses have plaster board and timber linings to the brickwork to deal with the problem. For when salts are in brick works, the salts attract water in the atmosphere to the salt crystals, and thus the wall will be always damp.
No amount of sealant, dehumidification, or central heating will solve the problem of salts in bricks. All it will do is mask the issue. The salts will remain until you replace every single brick with salt free bricks.
What does this tell us? A) don't get ripped off. B) don't believe what your mortgage surveyor tells you, C) living with salty bricks isn't the worse thing in the world. We manage and you just have to get on with it.
HOWEVER!!! The risk of flooding remains significantly high. Projections of Flooding in the area are terrifying. Millions have gone into flood defences but most will admit they are only a stop gap measure only. If you read Council Planning Applications in detail, somewhere there will invariably be a note from the Environment Agency warning that before a single property is sold off-plan or not, the potential buyer is warned that they are buying a property at significant risk of flooding, especially if they are buying or moving into any property adjacent or close by the Rivers Ouse or Nar !!!!
This is part of an illustration that can be viewed in more terrifying detail by obtaining a copy of The Wash Estuary Management Plan, published by The Wash Estuary Strategy Group. (c/o South Holland Internal Drainage Board, Marsh Reeves, Foxes Low Rd, Holbeach Lincs, PE12 7PA, 01406 425518, www_project@lincolnshire.gov.uk)
The time projections for this degree of flooding vary according to who you talk to. The Environment Agency will tell you one thing, scientists working on behalf of Friends of the Earth may tell you something different, scientists working for the Climate department of the UEA may tell you yet another story, and the man who sells you 2lbs of sausage meat on a Tuesday morning yet something different. It is not for us to say who is right or who is wrong. It is our responsibility to alert you to the, very real, probability, (not possibility note - when not if), that flooding will happen, and it is your responsibility to make an informed decision about whether buying a property beside an area historically noted for flooding, whether in King's Lynn or anywhere along the East Anglian Coast, really is a good investment or not.
Flooding is not just caused by rising waters along the river banks and sea walls. Flooding often occurs when the drainage and sewerage systems back up unable to cope any longer. Within the past 15 years in Gladstone road this began to happen once, and there was a furious struggle to defend houses here. So, just because a nice man in a nice suit says nice things that you want to hear doesn't mean that he is either telling you the whole truth or is equipped to know the whole truth.
If you are thinking about moving into the area, think carefully about your investment. Become informed about local plans regarding what to do in the event of a flood. Make sure valuable items, computers, sentimental items, pets, elderly dependants, can be moved upstairs. If you are thinking of buying a bungalow or downstairs flat, double your insurance cover.
This picture was taken as recently as the 31st August 2003. Since this date, there have been even higher tides at this point. In the winter of 2005 flood water just began to come over the top of the Quay defences. The town flood gates were shut and we were on the edge of a major incident. Current projections are not encouraging.
If you live in The Friars be warned. Know what to do, be sure you have a plan of items you normally
keep downstairs that you would be bereft without, and prepare to move them when the flood sirens go.
(No more sirens! See box at top of page!)
During the August of 2006 an Environment Minister visited the East Anglian Coast and told residents that there wasn't enough money to protect their homes form flooding. Just because he told that to the people of Lowestoft doesn't mean there will be enough money to save us either. Lowestoft is not far away.
In the winter of 2005, where now you see mud and green grass and weed there was flood water. You have a right to know. If you are thinking of moving into The Friars, make sure you ask the agent who is selling to you about flooding, and go to the Council to check.
More info:
Environment Agency: flooding
Direct Gov: Flooding
Kings Lynn Internal Drainage Board - responsible for drainage in the area
CIRIA: What do to if you get flooded (Hope you took the PC upstairs!)
Flooding: the health risks (For people who really like to worry!)
Pitt Review: Learning Lessons from the 2007 Floods