SuDS practitioners in England are generally familiar with the Sheffield Grey-to-Green retrofit SuDS scheme which is an excellent example of what can be done in a busy city to introduce effective bioretention zones, but Jo had never had the opportunity to visit the site until today.
Although it is inspiring to read about schemes like this one, it is so much better to spend some time amongst them and to see them being used by local people.
The Phase 1 bioremediation zones tumble down West Bar and Bridge Street by Snig Hill Police Station. It was a quiet evening and Jo found that people were sitting on the edges of the gardens and cycling through at the end of their working day. Some of the flowers were in bloom and there were insects and bees busying themselves amongst the plants, and the small blossom tree was buzzing away with all the activity.
The scheme illustrates beautifully how retro-fit SuDS quickly become a familiar part of our towns and cities and it is a pleasing place to spend time in our busy lives. The hydraulic functions of the scheme are largely invisible, especially on a dry day in May, but the other benefits come into their own as the summer unfolds and the mosaic of multi-coloured flowers come into bloom. Next time you are in your local town, have a look around and see if you can discover any retro-fit SuDS – you may walk past them every day!
Learn more about Sheffield Grey-to-green here: https://www.greytogreen.org.uk/
