A RETIRED chartered architect from Cirencester has achieved his lifelong dream of inventing a new kind of safe house for those across the world affected by flooding.

Arkhomes, created by Roy Turner, 73, can rise above floodwater automatically as well as store rain and solar power and can be put together in one day. It is believed to be the first of its kind in the world.

The homes would be ideal in an environment such as the Somerset levels, which was ravaged by flooding earlier this year. Once installed and fixed onto a concrete base, a mechanism beneath the floor activates and raises the house above the water line when flooding occurs.

The house can also include a buoyancy path to the nearest dry land.

If a town or village is devastated by flooding suddenly, Arkhomes can be transported to the area in a matter of hours.

“They will be fit for purposes across a wide range of housing needs, from areas of devastation, to quarters for servicemen and families, to those left homeless by floods, or indeed decimated war zones,” said inventor Roy Turner.

“I have dreamed of inventing properties such as these ever since we first began to see the effects of global weather and hostilities on communities around the world.

“To be well on the way to achieving this has made me immensely proud and I am delighted to have reached the patent stage.

“I hope to be able to ship out an Arkhome immediately to people worldwide who face losing their homes.”

The smallest of the new kind of house can include a shower room with a toilet, a kitchen with cooking equipment, a fridge and food storage facilities, a lounge and dining room and a bedroom. Extra rooms can be added in just a few hours.