Landscape & Urban Design Issue 39 2019 | Page 92

STREET SCHEME TARGETS GREEN A landmark sustainable drainage pilot project in West London is providing evidence to show how SuDS can be effectively retrofitted into a variety of urban environments. Counters Creek is one of London’s ‘lost rivers’ that was culverted in the late nineteenth century to form part of the combined sewerage network in West London. Its catchment is highly urbanised, has no remaining open watercourses and has a high density of residential basements. In recent years 20% of permeable space has been lost and over 2,000 properties within the catchment have reported sewer flooding. 92 Landscape & Urban Design Issue 39 2019 The pilot, known as Greenstreets@ Counters Creek, is one of Thames Water’s largest sewer flooding alleviation projects and includes the Taking in Arundel Gardens, in introduction of SuDS systems on three Kensington, Mendora Road in Fulham roads where the effectiveness of the and Melina Road in Shepherd’s systems in controlling surface water Bush, the scheme – using Polypipe’s flows to the combined sewers will be Permavoid system – helps capture, monitored. store and reuse rainwater.