SuDS in London - a guide

Community event
Actions and results
• Green roofs on bike sheds and a bin
store increases the attenuation storage
capacity, improving the streetscape’s
ability to mitigate impacts during high
and/or prolonged peak flow events
• Disconnecting downpipes on Oxford
House increased attenuation storage
capacity by redirecting water away
from the combined sewer overflow
and conveying it into bioretention
basins and a new swale
• Permeable paving allows water
to seep into the ground. During
high and/or prolonged peak flows,
additional runoff is attenuated by
the surrounding SuDS scheme
• A network of rain gardens, swales
and engineered tree pits has
increased the attenuation storage
capacity of the streetscape
• A bespoke information board
communicates the streetscape and
community benefits of the scheme
leading to continued community
buy-in to the maintenance and
monitoring of the scheme
Benefits
• Inhibits the flow of storm water runoff
into the combined sewer system
• Community partnerships have
safeguarded future management
and maintenance
• New community resource created
• Native and edible plants promote
biodiversity and a social capital
• Able to withstand a one in
100 year rainfall event
Lessons learned
• Active engagement between the
community and local authority
has social and economic value
• SuDS can help define and enhance
public realm improvements that relate
to pedestrian and cycle routes
• Permeable block paving is susceptible to
gathering litter fragments, so the jointing
of paving systems needs consideration
• Connectivity with Weavers Field could
have further enhanced the scheme
84 5 Case studies