Drainage plans outlined at Catcliffe public meeting

Specially designed drainage solutions for the proposed Waverley community development have been outlined at a public consultation meeting in Catcliffe.

Experts from Jacobs, who have developed the surface water drainage system for the site, were on hand to answer questions from flood-concerned residents at the consultation event at Catcliffe Memorial Hall on Friday 16 May.

Property and energy company, UK COAL wants to redevelop the site at Waverley into a sustainable mixed use community, including approximately 4,000 houses, community facilities and green areas.

The plans include a gravity fed Sustainable Urban Drainage system utilising restored contours to discharge surface water into large reservoirs, which would contain and then release water into the nearby River Rother at a restricted rate. This ensures river levels are not raised excessively downstream and meet strict requirements of the Environment Agency and Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council.

The reservoirs can accommodate the volume of water for a 100 year design storm plus 30 per cent for the potential impacts of climate change. A management company for the site will maintain the surface water drainage system.

Swales are also being included in the proposals in conformity with sustainable urban drainage principles and will connect to drainage channels. Approximately 35 per cent of the whole site will be impermeable.

The Catcliffe meeting was one of a series of consultative events being organised by UK COAL through May and June for locals living near the 741-acre site.

The events aim to clarify UK COAL’S multi-million pound proposals and present information on the planned residential development, social and leisure facilities, environmental issues including sustainability, air quality, drainage, transport links and green space benefits for the residents.