Marlow to Become the Site of Britain’s First Amphibious House

A timber-framed three-bedroom property in Marlow, due for completion this year, will be Britain’s first amphibious house.  The house will overcome the problem of flooding by simply rising with the water if flooding occurs.  It has a reinforced-concrete basement set in a dock made of four poles which will serve as a home cinema room for the owners who fell in love with the picturesque spot on an island in the Thames.

When the river bursts its banks, an event predicted to occur once in every  20 years, the water pressure will unlock the home from the dock and allow it to float up to the water level.

The owners secured planning permission to build on the site of an existing 1930s dilapidated bungalow which will be pulled down.  Planning permission has been granted by the Environment Agency as a replacement dwelling as a new home would not be allowed so close to the river and the design has to be in keeping with the conservation area.  Previous solutions to flooding have been to elevate properties on stilts or similar on higher ground but this can spoil the landscape and they can only be raised by a meter or so.  Although the build cost of this house is thought to be about 20% higher than a conventional build, there will be considerable savings on insurance costs and the owners can live safe in the knowledge that they, and their possessions, are safe from flooding whilst living just feet from the river.

Posted on the 14th February, 2012

Posted in Dream home Tagged amphibious houses, flood protection, Grand Designs, homes on islands, innivative builds, Marlow, riverside homes, riverside houses |

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