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.