North Sea Skills Integration and New Technologies

Speaking a multi disciplinary language to integrate the worlds of spatial planning and water management. Encouraging the implementation of innovative technical and sustainable solutions which have already proved to be successful.

Wauchope Square Redevelopment

Craigmillar, Edinburgh, Scotland. 2008.

A joint venture that brings together the City of Edinburgh Council, local property developers, and community representatives plans to deliver a long term strategic regeneration of Craigmillar as part of a 15-year (£200 million) vision to breathe new life into the area. Programme will deliver new homes, schools, town centre and public space.

Plate 1. Wauchope Square showing different types of permeable block paving implemented.

Abstract: Wauchope Square redevelopment is part of the City of Edinburgh’s Craigmillar Regeneration Project. The Project is part of an ambitious plan to transform 150-acres of open space into a network of new public parks, woodlands and community activity areas. Craigmillar is the only project to be selected to further the objectives of the Scottish Sustainable Communities Initiative (SSCI). This encourages inspirational developments which will serve as exemplars of the highest quality. In light of the vision of the whole project, the roads are Homezones or shared surfaces.

The site is located close to the Niddrie Burn which has been classified as at risk from both flooding and pollution. Space also proved to be at an absolute premium at the site. The decision was taken to use permeable block paving  for the SUDS  at the development and the site has a bill board illustrating the SUDS  applied and the corresponding benefits.

Plate 2.  Wauchope Square regeneration showing permeable paving types and educational notice.

Main Stakeholders: SUDS  Scottish Working Party, Local Authorities, Scottish Water, Scottish Government, Society of Chief Officers for Transportation in Scotland (SCOTS), Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Consultants and Academics have developed a partnership to develop much needed SUDS  guidance for local roads following the statutory requirement for draining all roads by the structures since 2007.

Outcome: SUDS  were introduced to the UK more than 10 years ago and have since become a statutory requirement for most surface drainage from new developments.  While many guidance documents describe the suitable design of SUDS, few have provided appropriate advice and direction for practitioners involved in the design or appraisal of SUDS  for the road network. Early in 2008 the SUDS  Scottish Working Party (SUDS WP), guided by practitioners, took ownership of this disconnect which grew into a committed and enthusiastic group of inter-stakeholder bodies working collaboratively to resolve the issue.  The resulting guidance document (SUDS for Roads), led by SEPA and SCOTS, and authored by WSP (leading design, engineering and management consultants), is the result of a careful partnership working between a range of pubic and private sector organisations including the Scottish Government, Scottish Water, Abertay University, and Transport Scotland.

The SUDS for Roads document is supported by robust research, and evidence gathering, and provides a guide for all professionals involved in the SUDS  design process.  It is anticipated that the primary readership of SUDS  for Roads will be Local Authorities and Private Developers however the principles contained herein apply equally to designers in other disciplines.  The purpose of the document is to guide the reader through the design of SUDS  for roads and to identify the various SUDS  measures that are suitable as best practice at reasonable cost. It is intended the document will guide the reader to provide the necessary degree of protection to the water environment, in terms of water quality and the urban environment and to provide flood mitigation.
Reason to register: This unique collaboration of inter-stakeholder bodies has developed robust technical guidance that provides the authorities, developers and consultants with information that is supported by research to construct competent best practice local road drainage with confidence that they will stand the test of time and comply with current drainage and water quality legislation.
Reason why communication worked: SUDS  are mandatory in Scotland and practical designs will be required to follow this guidance.  The Wauchope Square Example is an important part of that guidance specifically targeted at design engineers.