Property flood resilience is getting a national research push in the UK. Researchers from five UK universities have launched PFR net+, a new network meant to speed up the development and use of measures that protect homes and businesses from flooding. UWE Bristol announced the network on 12 October 2026. It is jointly led by UWE Bristol and the University of Hull, with co-investigators from the Universities of Birmingham, Leeds and York.
Why property flood resilience matters now
The network delivers on a commitment by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the FloodReady Action Plan, published during Flood Action Week in 2025. That plan warned that around 6.3 million properties in England are already at risk of flooding. It projected this could rise to around eight million, or one in four properties, by the middle of the century.
The action plan named property flood resilience (PFR), meaning measures that reduce flood damage to individual buildings and help people recover faster, as an important tool. It listed research and innovation as one of six priorities, and recommended that UKRI set up a network, followed by a research roadmap, initial projects and experimental testbeds.
The five property flood resilience priorities
According to UWE Bristol, PFR net+ will focus on:
- Making flood protection products, testing and standards more effective and trusted
- Developing flood-resilient buildings, materials and retrofit solutions
- Using data, modelling and technology to improve decisions about flood resilience
- Putting people and communities at the heart of flood resilience
- Unlocking investment and incentives through insurance, finance, policy and regulation
It will draw on engineering, environmental science, social science, economics, data science, policy and practice, and work with insurers, local authorities, government agencies, flood-risk consultancies, professional bodies and communities.
How the network will work
The university describes PFR net+ as a “network of networks”. It connects existing research groups with commercial, public sector and other organisations that have pledged support as founding partners. Its main output will be a national Property Flood Resilience Research and Innovation Roadmap to guide research, investment and innovation over the next decade.
It plans to use workshops, conferences, training, Special Interest Groups and funded research projects. The proposal also includes what UWE calls a “substantial” Flexible Fund, backed by partners, for research, innovation and knowledge exchange.
Professor Jessica Lamond of UWE Bristol, joint lead, called flooding “the most costly and widespread natural hazard in the UK”. She said the network wants a national hub of research findings, performance data and best practice, so the evidence can unlock more public and private investment. Professor Stuart McLelland of the University of Hull, the other joint lead, said responding to flood risk needs better coordination between researchers, industry, government and communities.
Hull already runs a Property Flood Resilience Innovation and Testing Laboratory, developed with the Environment Agency and Flood Re.
The open questions
This is a positive, well-supported step, and bringing testing, data and insurance together makes sense. But the announcement doesn’t give the network’s funding amount, a timeline for the roadmap, or measurable targets. It is also a coordination effort rather than a new technology, so its impact will depend on whether research turns into products and policies that homeowners actually use. Data-driven flood decisions will also depend on the quality of models and data, which is a real challenge in itself.
For more on how data and AI are being used on real-world infrastructure, read our piece on where AI adoption stands in smart rail infrastructure and our story on the AI trial to cut airplane contrails.
My view on property flood resilience
As a writer, I feel flood resilience doesn’t get the attention that flashier climate tech gets, even though it affects ordinary homes directly. One in four properties at risk by mid-century is a striking figure. I like that this network puts communities and insurance alongside engineering, because protection only works if people can afford it and trust it. I’d like to see the roadmap’s details and funding before judging how big a change this will be. There’s also a lesson here for flood-prone cities in India.
FAQ: property flood resilience
What is property flood resilience?
Property flood resilience (PFR) refers to measures that reduce flood damage to individual homes and businesses and help people recover more quickly, such as tested flood protection products and flood-resilient materials.
Who leads PFR net+?
It is jointly led by UWE Bristol and the University of Hull, with co-investigators from the Universities of Birmingham, Leeds and York.
How many properties in England are at risk of flooding?
The FloodReady Action Plan estimated around 6.3 million today, rising to about eight million, or one in four properties, by mid-century.