Some of the UK’s most famous landmarks – including Edinburgh Castle, Cardiff Bay, York city centre and the Giant’s Causeway – could be under threat from extreme weather within decades, according to a new report by insurer Aviva. And only if we take action now can they be saved, it suggests.
The company’s third Building Future Communities report outlines how climate change could put some of our nation's most treasured heritage sites at growing risk from flooding, subsidence and rising temperatures.
Edinburgh Castle, Hampton Court Palace and Giant’s Causeway are on Aviva's list of the most famous monuments at risk. Here’s a closer look at them, and our other treasured landmarks, that could be damaged or destroyed by climate change in the future if we don't act.
8 UK landmarks at risk from climate change
1. Giant's Causeway
Formed 60 million years ago, the Giant’s Causeway in County Antrim is one of Northern Ireland’s most celebrated natural landmarks. However, rising seas, stronger storms and heavier rainfall are increasing erosion and cliff instability along the Antrim coast. Sea levels could rise by up to 40 centimetres by 2050, reveals the Aviva report, pushing tides further inland and threatening paths and viewing areas. The National Trust currently uses hazard mapping and climate risk assessments to identify areas most vulnerable to landslides and shoreline retreat.
2. Liverpool waterfront
Liverpool’s famous waterfront – home to Tate Liverpool, historic Royal Albert Dock and a thriving visitor economy – faces growing climate pressures. Sitting on the Mersey estuary, it is exposed to tidal surges, surface water flooding and intense rainfall. The Aviva report states that sea levels could rise potentially a metre by 2100, while storms in the Irish Sea are expected to become more severe. With heavier downpours predicted by the 2080s, Liverpool’s waterfront could sit within one of the UK’s highest-risk tidal flood zones.
3. Cardiff Bay
Once a working dockland, Cardiff Bay has become a cultural hub and is home to Senedd Cymru, the Welsh Parliament. However, rising sea levels and more extreme weather threaten to test the Cardiff Bay Barrage, which manages tidal flows and storm surges. During Storm Dennis in 2020, the River Taff reached its highest level in more than 30 years, highlighting the city’s exposure to flooding. By 2050, sea levels could rise by up to 28 centimetres, putting the area even more at risk.
4. Hampton Court Palace
For over 500 years, Hampton Court Palace has stood on the banks of the River Thames – but its riverside setting now leaves it exposed to a changing climate. By 2050, West London is expected to face wetter winters, heavier rainfall and rising river levels, increasing flood risk along the Thames despite existing defences. At the same time, hotter, drier summers will bring heat stress and drought to the Palace’s gardens. With nearby flood defences requiring major upgrades and ownership fragmented, the historic royal estate faces threat.
4. York city centre
Set where the Rivers Ouse and Foss meet, York’s medieval centre lies largely within a floodplain. Severe floods in 2015 inundated hundreds of homes and businesses, prompting £100 million in new defences, including upgrades to the Foss Barrier. But with winters projected to become wetter and peak rainfall up 15% by 2050, flood risk continues to rise. To complement traditional defences, the city councils are working with Defra and University of York to restore natural resilience upstream through tree planting and wetland creation.
5. Edinburgh Castle
The historic hilltop fortress might seem safe from flooding, but Scotland's high rainfall puts its drainage to the test. In July 2021, an intense downpour overwhelmed the system, causing water ingress and damage, and triggering an emergency response. The Aviva report reveals: "In response, City of Edinburgh Council is pursuing a multi-pronged strategy. It has undertaken a flood risk assessment for the World Heritage Property to understand the areas at risk under current and 2050 climate conditions using hydrological modelling."
7. Red House
Red House in Bexleyheath, home of William Morris, founder of the Arts and Crafts movement, faces growing subsidence risks. Built on London Clay, it is susceptible to subsidence caused by wet and dry cycles. This causes cracks and instability in walls and murals. Climate change is intensifying these risks, with hotter, drier summers and heavier rainfall. The National Trust is proactively managing the site, improving drainage, monitoring soil movement and carefully managing trees.
8. Charlecote Park
This 16th-century National Trust estate in Warwickshire is situated on a natural floodplain. Between 2023 and 2024, five major floods caused 24 days of closure, damaged infrastructure and cost over £246,000 in recovery. "At one point, only 9% of the site remained accessible," the Aviva report reveals. The estate must adapt how it operates to protect both its heritage and public enjoyment in a changing climate.
Future hope
The report, however, is not all doom and gloom, with Aviva citing that it is not too late to act. The insurer has pledged over £80 million towards nature-based projects that help capture carbon, boost biodiversity and improve flood resilience.
“Record temperatures, wildfires and flash floods have already shown how our climate is changing,” said Jason Storah, CEO of Aviva UK & Ireland General Insurance. “Well-known landmarks will not be immune to these threats. We must adapt now if we want to protect them for the future.”
He continued: "“There are solutions – big and small – that can make the UK more climate-ready. But we must act collectively and urgently to protect our homes, communities and heritage.”
- What is climate change and how does it affect the UK?
- The fight to protect the UK's historic buildings from climate change
Main image: Getty
