Trefusis Park could soon be transformed into new a green solution to nearby flooding issues.
The scheme will see the park become home to a sustainable drainage system, benefiting the park with a seasonal wetland area while reducing the risk of flooding to homes and businesses in the local area by safely storing water during heavy rainfall.
The scheme, which is being delivered by Plymouth City Council in partnership with the Environment Agency and South West Water, is required to alleviate flooding in Lipson Vale, particularly the junction at Bernice Terrace, which has seen high rainfall cause persistent flooding for many years. If heavy rainfall coincides with a high tide, the drainage water exits can become “tide-locked”, causing a back-up in the system that floods on to the road and on occasion, into nearby houses and businesses.
Consultation
A consultation on the scheme initially took place in November/December 2021.
The report is available below:
With the feedback gathered from that consultation, detailed designs and further environmental plans and surveys were produced.
However, it soon became apparent that to continue with the scheme in its original form, nearly 100 trees would need to be felled, which was clearly at odds with the environmental focus of the project.
As a result, and following discussions with a specialist arboriculturist, a revised design has been drawn up that will only require five trees to be removed.
Residents are now being given their chance to feedback about this design.
Residents will have a chance to feedback on the new designs from Monday 30 September for a period of four weeks.
A face-to-face public information event will take place from 6.30pm until 8.30pm on Tuesday 15 October at the nearby Lipson Vale Primary School. During this event, members of the project team will be available to discuss the plans and answer questions about the scheme.
The project team will also be available in Trefusis Park on Friday 4 October between 10am and 12 noon, and on Thursday 17 October between 2pm and 4pm to answer questions in a more informal setting.
Feedback can also be submitted by emailing [email protected]
Comments will be collated and considered by the design team in relation to the finalised design.
About the scheme
To reduce the risk of flooding in the Lipson Vale area during times of heavy rainfall, we are seeking to store excess surface water in seasonal wetland basins within Trefusis Park, then release it back into the drainage network slowly once the heavy rain has passed and the network has capacity again.
This means that the proposed seasonal wetland basins will be dry for most of the year, allowing people to walk through them. However, during heavy rainfall events, sections of the basins will fill up with water. An elevated grass path will be provided, which will allow access through the basins during most storm events. A fully accessible route will be provided on top of the basins’ embankments, which will provide access throughout the year.
The scheme is very similar to the previous design but will result in a reduction of flat green space. In effect, the whole project is moving slightly east towards Trefusis Gardens.
How the seasonal wetland basins will be created
Trefusis Park (Tippy Park) is built on a former landfill site. We have already conducted surveys and as a consequence of this, the proposed basins will sit above the landfill, protected by a liner, with minimal excavation into the landfill material below.
How the seasonal wetland basins will promote ecology and wildlife
The new seasonal wetland basins will include features such as:
- a wildlife friendly stream bed – this will incorporate gently sloping banks creating easier access for wildlife instead of the current concrete channel
- scrapes – these form shallow indents in the basin floor, resulting in areas that will dry out
- a new permanent pond – this will be a permanent water body resulting in a new habitat and amenity feature for the park
Size of the newly created areas
The park has an area of approximately 25,000 m2, excluding the woods to the east. Depending on the final design, the seasonal wetland basins will be between 6000 m2 and 12,000 m2, so will take up between 24% and 48% of the non-wooded area of the park. The basins will be dry for most of the year, allowing people to walk through them.
Safety of the seasonal wetland basins when full of water
The seasonal wetland basins will be designed in accordance with the Local Flood Risk Management Strategy and will take account of the latest Health and Safety design guidance. The water depth will be a maximum of 1.2 metres. As with any water, though, children and dogs will need to be supervised.
Building Resilience in Communities Team
While the proposed scheme will provide some immediate benefits in reducing the flood risk, the full benefit to the project will be achieved when South West Water Services Limited complete their water separation works upstream. Even after this time, however, we cannot guarantee that flooding will never occur because of the predicted changes in weather and sea levels caused by climate change. This is why Plymouth City Council’s Building Resilience in Communities (BRIC) Team will be working with local people to raise flood awareness. Opportunities to get involved will include:
- becoming a member of a community Flood Action Group
- attending flood risk awareness sessions
- taking part in learning and creative activities to explore our relationship with water and the challenges of climate change on our local landscape
Flooding in the Lipson Vale area
The Lipson Vale area floods because:
- it is a rapid response catchment with very steep sided roads that funnel the water to vulnerable streets
- there has been an increase in heavy intense rainfall
- run-off water volume exceeds the capacity of the sewer systems
- there are tidal challenges - if heavy rainfall coincides with a high tide, the water exits can become ‘tide-locked’, causing a back-up in the drainage system
Why this flooding is an issue
- The impact upon people’s homes and lives with increased mental health issues around the disruption to family life
- Fully drying out, repairing and restoring a home costs on average £20,000 to £45,000 per household1
- Road closures and disruption to local businesses
How the flood relief scheme will improve the lives of people in the local area
- Less likelihood of flooded properties in vulnerable streets, so residents at risk will feel safer
- Roads and pavements less likely to be closed because of flood water
- An improved local park with new trees and plants, creating a richer habitat for wildlife and more opportunities to connect with nature
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