Kent – Creating Blue-Green Community space
Kent County Council is delivering two pilot projects with the purpose to:
- trial the delivery of BGI projects in Kent;
- engage Kent residents within the BGI design process using social innovation techniques;
- identify what and how social, environmental and economic benefits can be achieved for the local communities.
The pilot projects are located at Bell Road, Sittingbourne and George Park, Margate.
At both locations, the highway drainage systems become overwhelmed during heavy rain resulting in surface water flooding to residential properties. Local urban green spaces provide the opportunity to divert water away from the highway and into sustainable urban drainage features (SuDS). Blue-Green Infrastructure including swales, ponds and meadows will allow the captured water to slowly and naturally filter back into the chalk below helping to replenish groundwater.
The surface features within the green spaces will create multifunctional place and space with multiple social, environmental and economic benefits for both Kent County Council and the communities that live there.
Click the image below to download Kent's poster inspired by the BEGIN policy brief's 4 recommendations
