We thought it’s time for an update on New George Street as the phase one, the area outside House of Fraser, is almost complete.
Stone chippings have been added to the three rain gardens, to make them look neater and play a role in helping to tackle excess surface water.
Granite seating walls have been installed but they are not all finished as there’s been a delay in the delivery of the English oak seating – temporary ones have been installed until they arrive.
It sometimes rains in Plymouth (coughs) and with the prospect of more rainfall thanks to climate change, making sure the city centre copes with more rain has been central to this scheme.
The footway levels are designed to slightly slope inwards from the buildings, so that rainwater can run off the new paving and into the rain gardens or channels.
The gardens capture and slow the water which then percolates down into storage areas installed underneath. At times of heavy rainfall, these help to control and store water, reducing the risk of flooding.
The new plants and trees have been chosen to thrive in raingarden conditions, meaning that they can endure periods of flooding and saturated soil. If there’s more rain, the new storm sewer system beneath the street keeps excess flood water from combined sewer system. This a series of large plastic pipes – the largest over 1.5 metres across – which can hold around 215 cubic metres of rainwater and be released gradually through a mechanism known as a hydrobrake.
And in case you are wondering, the tarmac at the end is also only temporary, to make safe the paving that was disturbed during the work.