Submitted by Luton Borough Council

Chelsea Creek

Submitted by St George (Berkeley Group)

Judges comments: Urban high-rise development, seamlessly integrated with canals and water features. The development includes reed wetlands and green roofs, enhancing the natural environment. The canals are designed for recreational activities, and the area is open and accessible, with no surrounding fences—an important benefit for the community.

Plasdŵr Gateway Linear Park

Submitted by Arup

Judges comments: A large new housing development featuring 7,000 dwellings on a greenfield site. This project serves as an exemplary model of good practice by adopting SABs principles. Its value extends beyond the local site and Wales, showcasing effective practices. However, it doesn't introduce any particularly innovative elements.

Wellbank Park Self-build Housing

Submitted by 2B Landscape Consultancy Ltd

Judges comments: An early-stage scheme comprising 50 homes. Though smaller than some other projects, it represents a significant housing development. Currently under construction, it incorporates Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) as a prominent surface feature. The water features are fully accessible to all, complying with ADA standards.

The Stag Little Easton – Residential Development

Submitted by Refolo Landscape Architects

Judges comments: The project has been in the planning stages for several years, focusing on meeting discharge rate requirements and involving detailed modeling with engineers for the planning authority. The design extends beyond the site's boundaries, incorporating multiple SuDS features and emphasising placemaking. It follows design principles from the SuDS manual.

Lisvane and Llanishen Reservoirs’ Visitor Centre

Submitted by Momentum Consulting Engineers

Judges comments: This is an interesting large-scale scheme located in a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) area, focused on nature conservation. Initially proposed for housing in 2016, the project faced significant opposition. It has since been transformed into a reservoir and visitor center, with sports and recreational facilities. The project actively engaged with local communities and now attracts many visitors.

Baltic Quarter Blue-Green Corridor

Submitted by JBA Consulting

Judges comments: A large mixed-use development with industrial, commercial, and residential areas, featuring a 400-meter linear park for stormwater attenuation. The park includes swales, ponds, detention basins, and tree pits, forming a green corridor for recreation and cycling. Formerly contaminated land, the site now benefits from typical SuDS design, though there are issues with outfall discharging into a combined sewer.

Thornville Street Raingarden (St John’s Society Greening Project)

Submitted by St John Society

Judges comments: A community group created raingarden, inspired by a similar project in Sheffield. It started as a small, co-designed initiative with the local community to enhance resilience, providing private leading and learning opportunities. Despite its small scale and limited hydrological advantages, it has successfully engaged the community.

Lower Floods in Waltham Forest

Submitted by London Borough of Waltham Forest

Judges comments: A large-scale retrofit involving 900 water butts has been implemented, with strong communication within local communities. While the project covers a vast area, the impact of these 900 water butts may be minimal due to the extensive coverage.

Wood Street, Cardiff Central Square

Submitted by Arup

Judges comments: A successful city center retrofit, featuring a SuDS scheme diverting water to the river and integrating public transport. It showcases impressive design but has costly hard landscaping and minimal greenery. The project shares insights through webinars and follows a proven model, though more green space would be beneficial.

Green Lanes Rain Gardens

Submitted by The London Borough of Enfield

Judges comments: Green Lanes is a strong example of retrofitting SuDS on a busy London road. It provides attenuation for 12 houses, though it lacks precise protection levels. Overall, it's a well-executed retrofit.

Submitted by Transport for London

Judges comments:TfL's urban road junction project includes raingardens and SuDS, which influenced new London design guidelines. Despite utility challenges and modest impact, it successfully integrates SuDS into a highway scheme with a pedestrian underpass.

Wilbury Way Wetlands

Submitted by Enfield Council

Judges comments: A large retrofit wetland that has transformed an under-used amenity space through extensive local community engagement. The project reused materials on-site and is situated near a river. While it effectively addresses water scarcity and biodiversity net gain (BNG), there is limited sharing of the lessons learned and how the borough can apply these insights elsewhere.

Submitted by Luton Borough Council

Judges comments: This retrofit emphasises water reuse, reflecting a significant shift in mindset towards reusing water in a water-scarce area. It delivers multiple benefits and has received positive feedback from teachers on its effectiveness.

SuDS for School

Submitted by London Borough Lewisham

Judges comments: The SuDS project for schools is highly rated and well-regarded. It focuses on schools in deprived areas, involving children in the design. The features are effective, with notable results in handling flooding, and the innovative SuDS drains offer significant community benefits.

Community Centric Rainwater Management

Submitted by Thames Water

Judges comments: This project features storage with plantings on top and extensive negotiations with private landowners. It includes an app for public engagement and shares insights through Ofwat, with the potential to benefit all of England and Wales.

2B’s Office and House SuDS Retrofit

Submitted by 2B Landscape Consultancy Ltd

Judges comments: A small landscape practice has spent 10 years on a single dwelling project with modest benefits. The space is open for public visits, showcasing a range of interesting SuDS features. Grown organically over time, it offers the benefit of being accessible to the public despite being a private garden.

Wildlife rain garden

Submitted by Sally Bower Landscape Design

Judges comments: This masterplanned project was delivered all at once. It features an attractive SuDS scheme with many elements, likely to appeal to British gardeners. However, it is quite reserved about publicity.

Flood Mitigation and Community Flood Resilience in Waltham Forest

Submitted by London Borough of Waltham Forest

Judges comments: The retrofit project tackles catchment-scale flooding with several schemes, including road runoff diversion. It provides significant benefits but lacks clarity on how the raingarden fits into the overall plan.

Central Park SuDS

Submitted by Plymouth Highways

Judges comments: The retrofit of Plymouth's Central Park addresses flooding and outdated drainage but is more of a reclamation project than a SuDS innovation. It looks good and includes a root box system for retaining walls, though it’s not particularly groundbreaking.