GREEN & BLUE INFRASTRUCTURE
AN INNOVATIVE SUDS SOLUTION FOR FLETTON QUAYS
Situated on the edge of the historic Fens , Peterborough has a rich heritage . Settled by man over 3500 years ago , with a cathedral dating back to AD655 , there are plenty of reminders of the past , and recognising this , the City has many listed buildings including the old railway sheds and the 19th Century Whitworth Mill on the banks of the River Nene .
The clay sub-soil in the Fletton area proved perfect for brick making , and this became a major industry in the city - the beginning of the Fletton brick , now widely used across the country . The arrival of the railway in 1845 meant that transportation of the bricks became simpler and
Peterborough East Station was built and a goods yard constructed on the south bank of the River Nene to service the city ’ s expanding business trade . The station closed in 1970 and the land between the railway line and the river was used for various commercial purposes for the next 40 years .
Identifying the potential of this riverside site with amazing views to the Cathedral , Peterborough City Council allocated this area for highquality mixed-use development . With views across the river to The Embankment open space , only a short walk across the Town Bridge to the city centre and less than a mile from the mainline railway station , the site was ripe for redevelopment – with the restoration of the old listed buildings and construction of new ones .
With much of the city low lying , stormwater management can be a challenge . Peterborough City Council encourages innovative thinking in the using of sustainable drainage systems , and the adjacent river available for water discharge made the new development an obvious good fit . Although the original plans were to use a conventional piped stormwater system , alternative methods were investigated and the GreenBlue Urban ArborFlow tree pit system was chosen .
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