THE PLUG has been pulled on innovative plans to build "floating houses" in Christchurch.

An application by Nick and Francesca May and company Floodline Developments to build two four-bed flood-resilient dwellings at Willow Way Marina was refused by Christchurch Borough Council's planning committee last February.

Following this decision, an appeal was launched to the planning inspectorate for the brownfield site scheme.

However, an inspector looking into the development has sided with the council and dismissed the appeal.

Floating houses have grown in popularity in low-lying European countries. In the United Kingdom there are some examples following the construction of the nation's first amphibious house by the River Thames in Buckinghamshire a couple of years ago.

A 'can-float' design, which implemented a flood resilient foundation plan to allow the buildings to rise with any flood water, was set out in the Christchurch scheme.

The principle was based on a lightweight timber-frame house on a reinforced concrete pontoon structure filled with expanded polystyrene. The pontoon structure would have sat within a reinforced concrete dry dock located below ground level.

If the site flooded, water would enter the dry dock, raising the pontoon and making the house float under the guidance of piers and their rollers/sliders.

Christchurch Borough Council refused the scheme on grounds that as a five-year housing supply had been identified, the proposal did not meet the sequential test for flood risk with its siting in identified flood zones.

This use of planning policy was challenged by the applicants, who highlighted the need for sustainable housing, but the planning inspector supported the council's verdict.

In his report, inspector David Richards acknowledges the idea of floating houses and accepts the sound engineering concept of the development.

However, he goes on to say: "Weighing against this is the clear policy advice in national guidance that development should not be allocated or permitted where there are reasonably available sites for the proposed development in areas with a lower probability of flooding.

"The guidance identifies residential development as ‘more vulnerable development’ and does not make any reference to ‘flood resilient’ or ‘water compatible’ development in respect of dwelling houses.

"I have found that there are reasonably available sites for the proposed development in areas of lower flood risk in Christchurch and East Dorset."