Car park development uses aesthetic solution to meet environmental regulations
Hydro Biofilter™ helped Vale of Glamorgan Council to provide urban planting and landscaping while meeting SuDS standards.
Situation
Vale of Glamorgan Council decided to review surface water drainage at the Business Service Centre car park in Barry, South Wales when they realised that a previous design using porous paving was proving unsatisfactory.
Problem
UK Environment Agency requirements on pollution are strict, and the car park is divided into three connected areas, which added complexity to the falls required for drainage.
Further, final discharge from the car park was via the surface water drainage system into Barry Dock, and the Association of British Ports stipulated that no additional pollution should be allowed to jeopardise marine ecosystems.
Solution
Vale of Glamorgan council decided to install three Hydro Biofilter™ units to meet Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) standards and provide urban planting and landscaping.
Outcome
The three Hydro Biofilter™ units enabled drainage engineers to meet Environment Agency requirements for removing pollutants from stormwater runoff before discharge via the storm sewer into the adjacent docks.
Hydro Biofilter™ combined several different SuDS features within one system," said Keith Sulsh, Drainage Engineer, Vale of Glamorgan Council. "This was not met by any other solution the council looked at.