Category: Dense Urban Design

Gravelly Hill, Birmingham

Posted on by Shaun
Gravelly Hill, Birmingham

Civia were contracted by the client to complete a detailed drainage design for an apartment building at Gravelly Hill in Birmingham. The former dental practice building was demolished to make way for a new apartment structure.

By applying sustainable drainage principles supported by hydraulic modelling and on-site percolation test results, we were able to manage all surface water on-site, with foul discharging via a central carrier drain to the adjacent sewers, resulting in a smart and straight-forward solution in an urbanised area.

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Odeon Arcade, Leicester

Posted on by Isaac Wright
Odeon Arcade, Leicester

The Odeon Arcade site in Leicester city centre involved the remodelling of a landmark mid-terrace city centre building into a mixed-use development, comprising ground-floor retail units with apartments above. The existing site was around 95% impermeable roof area, with the building footprint leaving no practical opportunity for conventional subterranean attenuation. These constraints required a drainage strategy that could manage runoff within a dense urban setting while still seeking to replicate greenfield runoff performance and improve the sustainability of the development.

Civia was engaged as the drainage consultant to assess the site constraints and develop a sustainable drainage solution. Using SuDS assessments and hydraulic modelling, we prepared a strategy incorporating green roofs and podium design to cascade, capture, delay and treat surface water. This approach enabled the development to manage runoff effectively within a highly constrained city-centre footprint, supporting the wider regeneration of the building while reducing environmental impact.

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Nursery Road, Birmingham

Posted on by Shaun
Nursery Road, Birmingham

The Nursery Road site in Birmingham involved the redevelopment of a commercial plot into a 24-apartment scheme with landscaped decking and below-ground parking. The existing site was around 95% impermeable, while the building footprint left no practical opportunity for conventional subterranean attenuation below the main structure. These constraints required a drainage strategy that could replicate greenfield runoff as closely as possible while fitting within a dense urban layout.

Civia was appointed as drainage engineer to assess the site and develop a sustainable drainage strategy. Using SuDS assessment, topographical information and hydraulic modelling, we designed a system incorporating green roofs, rainwater gardens, swale-aggregate attenuation and shallow permeable paving to delay and reduce discharge to the adjacent sewer network. By combining green infrastructure with carefully coordinated attenuation, the scheme achieved a sustainable drainage outcome within a highly constrained city-centre development.

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Inspired by this case study and want to learn how Civia can make your next project a success? Contact us today.