Client: RAIN Project (Resilience and Innovation Northants)

Partner: Amplius

Industry: Social Housing

Location: Northamptonshire

Background

Following significant flooding in December 2020, Harpers Court in Brigstock was identified by the RAIN Project – a Defra-funded FCRIP project - as a high priority for Property Flood Resilience (PFR), as part of its overall scheme.

Located directly next to Harpers Brook, the extra-care sheltered housing scheme is home to 23 extra-care apartments for residents aged over 55, many with mobility or health needs. It was therefore important that any scheme took into consideration the abilities and needs of residents while delivering appropriate, robust measures that would give residents’ confidence.

Working on behalf of the RAIN Project, and in partnership with housing provider Amplius, Watertight designed, installed and commissioned a comprehensive package of bespoke PFR measures, combining flood resistance, drainage improvements, preparedness and community training to deliver a holistic approach to flood resilience that extends far beyond the installation of flood products.

The Challenge

During the Christmas Eve floods of 2020, Harpers Brook burst its banks. Floodwater entered the ground floor apartments and communal areas, forcing residents to evacuate and leaving many anxious whenever heavy rain returned.

Following a detailed assessment, it became clear that water could enter the building through multiple routes, including doors, windows, drainage systems and below-ground. It was also important to ensure that key building infrastructure, including the lift and mobility scooter store, could remain operational.

The challenge was to deliver a PFR solution that limits water ingress while maintaining accessibility for residents, safeguarding critical building infrastructure and enabling Harpers Court to continue operating as safely as possible during a flood.

Equally important was ensuring residents, staff and community volunteers had the training and confidence to respond quickly when flood warnings are issued.

The Solution

Watertight designed and delivered a PFR scheme tailored specifically to Harpers Court.

Every ground floor apartment received flood resilience measures, with each opening individually surveyed before made-to-measure flood doors, flood windows and demountable barriers were manufactured and installed.

Recognising the needs of residents, one apartment requiring wheelchair access was protected through the construction of a new retaining wall incorporating a flood barrier, providing resilience without compromising accessibility.

Additional measures included repairs to external mortar, installation of automatic airbricks, non-return valves to prevent sewer backflow, and specialist pumping systems for both the mobility scooter storage area and the lift shaft.

Preparedness formed an equally important part of the project.

Every resident received a flood preparedness pack, while clear laminated operating instructions have been permanently fixed alongside each demountable barrier to ensure they can be deployed quickly and correctly.

Training has also been delivered, including to a dedicated team of volunteer ‘Flood Buddies’ from the village, ensuring support is always available when a flood warning is issued.

Following installation, the completed scheme underwent extensive wet testing, giving confidence that measures will perform as intended.

To support long-term maintenance, Amplius has adopted the Resilico Enterprise platform. This enables all installed assets to be centrally managed, inspected and maintained.

In addition, residents have received access to the Resilico Connect app, giving them personalised flood alert information from a nearby river sensor, as well as digital flood plans and maintenance reminders through their smartphones.

The Results

Harpers Court now benefits from a holistic PFR scheme: a suite of PFR measures have been installed, while residents are better prepared. Amplius also has complete visibility of the building's flood resilience assets via Resilico.

By combining bespoke measures, preparedness, digital management and community involvement, the scheme provides a model for better protecting vulnerable communities.

Delivered as part of the wider RAIN Project, Harpers Court also benefits from catchment-wide Natural Flood Management measures upstream, creating multiple layers of resilience from the river catchment through to the individual property.

Alan Ryan, Programme Lead, RAIN Project:

“Working alongside Watertight and Amplius, we’ve created a scheme that combines bespoke flood resilience with preparedness, resident training and long-term management of PFR measures. What’s important is that every element has been designed around the people living there, giving residents greater confidence while creating a model of best practice that other communities can learn from.”

Mia Brophy, Sheltered Housing Team Leader, Amplius:

“The building is now more flood resilient, making our customers feel safer. But just as importantly, there is now a clear plan that everyone understands - residents, staff, the council, emergency services. That sense of structure helps people feel secure.

“What really matters to us at Amplius is that our customers feel heard, respected and safe. We are thankful to the local community for their ongoing support, and are grateful to have worked with partners on this project who genuinely care about our customers’ wellbeing. The transformation isn’t just physical, it’s emotional too, and that is incredibly important.”