Working on the surface water management plans for Glasgow City Council, Sweco’s in-house landscape architecture team developed the design for a new park in Blairtummuck in Glasgow, facing the challenge of resurrecting a derelict, unused site that was in poor condition – largely covered by red blaize pitches.

Our Blairtummock Park design included the deculverting of a watercourse and introducing it into the new parkland landscape. Extensive tree planting and wildflower meadows, new footpaths and seating accompanied the new deculverted watercourse and SuDS basin.

Consultation played a big part in the project development, and our landscape architects and water specialists worked closely in presenting the designs to the local community. Having the joint expertise of the landscape and water teams together provided a comprehensive and joined-up concept for the park, which allowed us to explain the project to the community clearly and with the right expert knowledge of specific elements of the design when questions arose. One of my favourite memories of the project is one of the consultation events that was accompanied by a community barbeque where the team had an opportunity to chat informally with local residents and get a real understanding of local issues.

Associate Landscape Architect Andrew Redbond reflects: “I greatly enjoyed the experience of being involved in the early stages of the SuDs design and having the opportunity to influence that design in a way that supported the landscape amenity objectives of the scheme.

The project as a whole illustrates how SuDs can provide a substantial benefit to communities in a number of ways. As well as the more obvious water management benefits, the local amenity, ecology and biodiversity benefits that we were able to provide working as a team created a holistic solution that enhanced the area significantly.

One of my favourite memories of the project is one of the consultation events that was accompanied by a community barbeque where the team had an opportunity to chat informally with local residents and get a real understanding of local issues.

As a Landscape Architect, the majority of my work revolves around placemaking and enhancing environments for local communities.  My experience of working with the water team has shown me how SuDs can be a key part of this objective.

We often look to use water in the public realm as a means to create interest and amenity without it necessarily having a wider function. This project illustrated to me the potential for SuDs to be both a driver for placemaking and a key component in the positive experiences people enjoy in public spaces.”

The scale of this project was ambitious, with a total area equivalent to more than thirty Hampden Parks transformed from vacant and derelict land into attractive urban parks and green corridors.

 

Its completion has taken us a step closer to creating a nature-rich future for everyone in Scotland by improving biodiversity, creating better habitat for wildlife, helping to mitigate climate change and reduce flood risk and connecting more people with nature, with all of the many mental and physical health benefits that brings.

Dr Mike Cantlay OBE, chair of Scottish Natural Heritage