It is hard to ignore the signs. Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and are having a greater impact on our lives. Storms Dudley, Eunice and Franklin in February 2022 caused devastation to communities across the UK. As a result of the extreme weather conditions, London was issued with a rare ‘Red Weather Warning’ by the Met office, and people were told to prepare for potential flooding[1].

As increasing numbers of people move to urban areas combined with the widespread use of impermeable surfaces such as concrete for pavements, driveways, and roads; as well as a lack of greenery and vegetation, communities are more vulnerable to flooding. Almost a quarter of London constitutes gardens, but this is disappearing under paving slabs, decking and concrete. We are losing gardens at the rate of an area two and a half times the size of Hyde Park every year[2]. This is not sustainable and exacerbates flooding.

So what can we do to make our towns and cities better protected from flooding? SuDS are one solution.