RAINGARDENS IN BUILT DEVELOPMENTS

In this example, instead of the surface drainage just being piped to a basin at the edge of the development, raingarden features have also been pulled back into the built form. This makes the development a more attractive place to live and work, increasing contact with nature. The soft landscape contributes to urban cooling, provides opportunities for recreation, and improves habitat networks and connectivity.

In addition to considering the wider SuDS scheme, raingarden features at a plot or building scale can further increase opportunities for interaction with rainwater and natural processes. See the earlier section ‘what are raingardens’ for examples of features.

Please only use this information as inspiration for your raingarden project, not as building instructions.