Prepare your property
- Important items and documents upstairs or at height
- Separate electrical circuit for upper and lower floors
- Boiler moved to upper floor of wall-mounted on ground floor
Castlegate, Sheffield City Centre
2014–2022
£9.9 million. Funded by Sheffield City Region, the European Regional Development Fund and Sheffield City Council, with small contributions from the Canal and Rivers Trust and Yorkshire Water.
Completed section of Grey to Green Phase 1
The primary aim of the project was to regenerate an inner city area dominated by roads that no longer carried heavy traffic. Another key aim was to manage surface water more sustainably.
Rain falling on our cities would normally drain quickly into pipes, for example via gulleys in the road. This can add to flooding problems, especially in periods of heavy rainfall. It can also send pollutants such as oils, heavy metals and microplastics from our roads straight to rivers.
A high proportion of urban areas are serviced by combined sewers. These carry both wastewater and surface water. With a changing climate there is an increasing flow of rainwater predicted to enter these sewers. This can lead to an overload of the system. Risks then include sewer flooding or increased pollution into watercourses from combined sewer overflows.
Sustainable Urban Drainage Solutions (or SuDS) are a range of features that receive water and control its release to the river system to manage these risks. This is the urban equivalent of natural flood management. The Grey to Green projects implement a range of SuDS.
Before during and after the configuration of the highway – Credit Grey to Green
Sheffield City Council transformed a previously tarmacked 1 kilometre length of highway into a linear green public space. Its innovative drainage system captures rainwater and moves it back to rivers in a way that mimics nature – cleanly, slowly, sustainably.
The project created 56 new planting beds called “swales.” Their plants and soil were chosen to create an attractive, colourful vegetation that encourages wildlife. Multi-layered planting, watered by rainfall from surrounding surfaces, helps to protect people and wildlife from air pollution and heat. It also potentially stores carbon in the atmosphere. Through a series of channels and dams, rainwater is held for longer before draining to the river Don in a filtered and controlled manner.
Diagram of Grey to Green sustainable drainage system
Phase 2 – one year after completion
Improved surface water management. The SuDs planting beds prevents 24,000 bathtubs’ worth of water from entering Sheffield’s sewage treatment works each year.
Reduction of up to 80% flow rate in high intensity rainfall events, reducing the pace at which rainfall reaches the River Don.
Climate proofing. The project addresses future surface water flooding risk. It also repairs a catchment through allowing infiltration and establishing paths of flow for water into watercourses, all of which mimics nature.
A 561% increase in biodiversity value.
Special flowerbeds capture pollutants from the road, as well as plastics from car tyres and road wear. This prevents them from reaching the watercourses.
1.3 kilometres of new footpaths and cycleways, encouraging cycling and walking.
Economic development. New office and residential developments have taken place in West Bar and Castlegate. There is an improved likelihood for new sites coming forward for development.