{"id":41689,"date":"2024-06-21T14:27:46","date_gmt":"2024-06-21T14:27:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.archtam.com\/?post_type=project&p=41689"},"modified":"2024-10-11T12:22:21","modified_gmt":"2024-10-11T16:22:21","slug":"mansfield-sustainable-flood-resilience","status":"publish","type":"project","link":"https:\/\/www.archtam.com\/projects\/mansfield-sustainable-flood-resilience\/","title":{"rendered":"Mansfield: designing the UK\u2019s largest sustainable drainage scheme"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Discover how a town in Nottinghamshire is combatting urban flooding at a scale never before seen in the UK. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

In Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, a pilot project is spearheading an exciting new approach to urban water management. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mansfield Sustainable Flood Resilience project is tackling the increasing challenge of surface water flooding \u2013 a risk intensified by climate change and urban development \u2013 through the widespread use of nature-based solutions such as rain gardens, bioswales and detention basins. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hundreds of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) are being installed throughout the town, making it the largest retrofit scheme of its kind in the UK.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When complete, the network of blue-green infrastructure will capture millions of litres of water in the event of a severe storm, protecting homes and businesses from flooding.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Why do we need sustainable drainage systems? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In England, 325,000<\/a> properties are in areas at risk of surface water flooding, according to the National Infrastructure Commission. The Met Office has warned that extreme rainfall events could be four times as frequent by 2080<\/a> compared to 1980s, causing storm overflows to be utilised, particularly in urban areas and places with ageing drainage infrastructure. Flood resilience<\/a> and improved capacity of the network is therefore fast becoming a priority.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The town of Mansfield was identified by Severn Trent Water as one of the most at-risk communities in Nottinghamshire once the impact of climate change was considered, with almost 1,000 people living in homes classed as \u2018high risk\u2019 from flooding.\u202f <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working alongside Mansfield District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council, Severn Trent is investing \u00a376 million in the Mansfield Sustainable Flood Resilience project to manage the excess water from extreme rainfall events. The retrofit project will provide additional storage capacity for surface water, creating resilience in the network to meet the catchment\u2019s future estimated needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot only will [these] measures \u2026 be of significant benefit to residents and businesses in Mansfield in reducing the risk of flooding and its devastating impacts, but they will also mean that residents have more green, open spaces to enjoy.\u201d <\/p>Councillor Neil Clarke MBE<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

How does blue-green infrastructure combat surface water flooding?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Plans and strategies to manage surface water differ depending on location. For instance, the Thames Tideway super sewer in London manages the problem in a city with a very high population density. The Mansfield scheme, by comparison, moves away from a traditional engineering approach and uses blue-green infrastructure instead to slow the flow and store the water, such as: <\/p>\n\n\n\n