Colleges are ideally suited places for sustainable drainage programs as a part of flood and storm overflow discount methods, says Lorna Davis, director, SuDSPlanter Ltd, who particulars a current neighborhood partnership with Yorkshire Water
Yorkshire Water has partnered with sustainable drainage and engineering specialist SuDSPlanter® to put in rainwater planters in 15 faculties and one city farm. A complete of 49 specialised planters have been put in in cities and cities throughout Yorkshire, together with Leeds, Rotherham and Doncaster, in March 2025.
SuDSPlanter programs are designed to seize rainwater run-off from roofs by rerouting the downpipe into the planters as an alternative of instantly into the drains. The water is held within the SuDSPlanter unit inside the storage space and the soil and brought up by the crops. That is then slowly launched again into drains, lowering the danger of sewers turning into overwhelmed throughout inclement climate.
Every planter includes a collection of layers, appearing as each a sponge and a pure filter, attenuating stream and eradicating sediment because the water soaks by to a reservoir under. Specifically formulated soil mixes present the optimum atmosphere for supporting wholesome crops and holding water.
Low upkeep and hard-wearing, the planters additionally retailer extra water to maintain crops thriving throughout dry spells. They’re fabricated from 100% sustainable and recyclable supplies, with SuDSPlanter working carefully with companions and suppliers to attain a totally round economic system.
The SuDSPlanter workforce includes floor water administration and engineering specialists who perform in-depth session with companions, to determine how a community of planters can defend sewers and stop flooding.
Local weather problem
Local weather change is bringing unpredictable climate patterns, with each drought and floods occurring extra incessantly and intensely. In lots of areas, city improvement and concrete surfaces have changed pure, absorbent landscapes. Consequently, rainwater run-off is reaching sewers sooner and in higher volumes, rising threat of floods, air pollution and mixed sewer overflow (CSO) discharges.
Colleges could be significantly liable to flooding, on account of their intensive hard-surfaced areas, corresponding to playgrounds, sports activities pitches and automotive parks. In 2021, the UK authorities warned that just about 15,000 faculties can be at important threat from flooding by 2050 on account of anticipated local weather change impacts.
Water firms should cut back CSO spills within the 2025-2030 asset administration plan (AMP8) interval. The regulatory expectations of AMP8 place robust emphasis on nature-based options, in addition to neighborhood engagement and local weather resilience – making faculties ideally suited companions for sustainable drainage tasks.
Spill discount
As a part of its Storm Spill Discount Programme, Yorkshire Water offered free stormwater planter programs to fifteen main faculties and one metropolis farm, in areas the place wider flood alleviation measures have been undertaken.
SuDSPlanter was chosen because the gear supplier, constructing on profitable partnerships with faculties, native authorities and utilities throughout the UK. To kickstart the undertaking, planning conferences have been held with SuDSPlanter and Yorkshire Water’s undertaking workforce and contractor J N Bentley Ltd. SuDSPlanter coordinated web site surveys, deliveries, installations and planting at every location.
Product sort, dimension and system designs have been tailor-made for particular person websites, based mostly on the square-meterage of every roof and the calculated volumes of rainwater anticipated to empty into the system. Every system was bespoke in design, comprising between one and 5 planters. Extra artistic parts corresponding to cloud trays, cascade options and watering cans have been additionally offered.
Installations happened over 4 weeks in March 2025, usually taking between one and two days per web site, adopted by sooner or later for schooling engagement and planting.
SuDSPlanter’s in-house landscaping specialists have created a listing of appropriate crops for varsity planter programs. In Yorkshire, crops have been chosen relying on web site location and side. As well as, every college acquired a key stage 1-4 schooling pack and plant upkeep handbook, developed by SuDSPlanter’s environmental specialists.
Now totally linked and in operation, the 49 planters can seize a complete of 18,700 litres of rain – a big quantity to be saved out of the sewers throughout storms. Not solely has this diminished the danger of localised flooding, air pollution and CSO spills, new wildlife habitats have additionally been created in every of the 16 places.
Out of doors studying
The inexperienced areas and enhanced biodiversity have potential to positively affect the well being and wellbeing of customers, encourage bodily exercise and enthusiasm for nature and the outside. In addition they present a brand new area for out of doors classes, gardening and eco golf equipment.
The availability of academic sources helps studying in matters such because the water cycle, water-saving, climate and local weather change, gardening, rising and caring for the pure world.
Alex Stephenson, SuDSPlanter director, stated: “It was a pleasure partnering with Yorkshire Water for this rewarding undertaking, which gave us the chance to work with pretty faculties and an city farm, and assist develop kids’s understanding of water, biodiversity and local weather.
“For Yorkshire Water, sustainable drainage in faculties will assist them obtain their key objective of lowering flood threat and CSO discharges, whereas delivering neighborhood advantages. We hope this collaborative method might be rolled out at a bigger scale all through AMP8, to help use of nature-based options to boost water high quality and construct resilience.”
Omair Khan, lead undertaking supervisor, storm spill discount programme, at Yorkshire Water stated: “The SuDSPlanter faculties’ collaboration is a improbable undertaking which can have long-term advantages for all companions and the atmosphere.
“By capturing stormwater, the planters aren’t solely lowering localised flood threat, they’re serving to construct resilience to dry spells in the summertime months by storing water, then slowly releasing it into the soil when wanted.
“I’d prefer to thank every college and the city farm for taking part within the scheme – they need to take delight in serving to to forestall flooding and defend their native atmosphere.
“Since 2023, we’ve invested £180 million to cut back discharges from storm overflows throughout the entire of Yorkshire. Partnerships with specialists corresponding to SuDSPlanter are key to attaining our targets.”
Adam Ogilvie, chief govt, Meanwood City Farm, Leeds, stated: “The SuDSPlanters present the potential for a studying device when instructing our out of doors, nature-based studying actions to three,000 – 4,000 kids per yr”.
Kids from Oakworth Main Faculty stated: “We just like the planters as a result of they make the varsity extra vibrant, vibrant and it helps the atmosphere, plus they scent good. Having crops can appeal to wildlife which helps to pollenate different crops in our gardens”.
Kids from Bankside Main Faculty, Leeds, stated: ““We like the way in which the SuDSPlanter seems and having one thing that we will take care of and learn to develop crops in our personal playground”.
Kids from Lindhead Faculty, Scarborough, stated: “We like having our personal ‘particular drainage system’ which helps to cease the playground flooding and appears actually stunning”.
