Residents are being asked for their views on further plans to transform Trefusis Park into a green solution to nearby flooding issues.
The scheme will see the park become home to a sustainable drainage system, benefiting the park with a seasonal wetland area while reducing the risk of flooding to homes and businesses in the local area by safely storing water during heavy rainfall.
A consultation on the scheme initially took place in November/December 2021 and with the feedback gathered, detailed designs and further environmental plans and surveys were produced.
It soon became apparent that to continue with the scheme in its original form, nearly 100 trees would need to be felled, which was clearly at odds with the environmental focus of the project.
As a result, and following consultation with a specialist arboriculturist, a revised design has been drawn up, which while still requiring the removal of five trees, significantly reduces the amount that need to be felled.
Councillor Tom Briars-Delve, Cabinet Member for the Environment and Climate Change, said: "As our climate adapts, finding natural solutions to flooding is something that we must do and Trefusis Park is in the perfect location for this task.
“However, nature was not at the heart of the plans we inherited and I felt that the scale of tree loss was completely unacceptable. Having altered the original designs, we now want to ask residents for their views a second time.”
While much of the scheme remains the same, with new wildlife-rich habitats to be created including the planting of new trees and hedgerow, as well as new paths and seating, the changed design does mean a reduction of flat green space. In effect, the whole project is moving slightly east towards Trefusis Gardens.
In addition, a new amenity pond will be created on the site of the old lake at the southern end of the park. A new half-sized basketball court will also be installed.
The scheme, which is being delivered by Plymouth City Council in partnership with the Environment Agency and South West Water, is required to alleviate flooding in Lipson Vale, particularly the junction at Bernice Terrace, which has seen high rainfall cause persistent flooding for many years. If heavy rainfall coincides with a high tide, the drainage water exits can become “tide-locked”, causing a back-up in the system that floods on to the road and on occasion, into nearby houses and businesses.
The seasonal wetland basins within the park will store surface water during heavy rainfall, which will then be released back into the drainage system once the rain has passed and the system has capacity again. This will enable the drainage system downstream of the park to cope better and will also mean that roads and pavements will be less likely to close because of flood water.
The scheme will also allow South West Water to carry out work to stop rainwater entering the combined sewer upstream of the park. This will further reduce the risk of flooding and improve water quality in the River Plym by reducing the number of combined sewer overflow spills that occur during heavy rainfall.
Once these combined works complete, 147 homes will be better protected from flooding.
Residents will have a chance to feedback on the new designs from Monday 30 September for a period of four weeks.
A face-to-face public information event will take place from 6.30pm until 8.30pm on Tuesday 15 October at the nearby Lipson Vale Primary School. During this event, members of the project team will be available to discuss the plans and answer questions about the scheme.
The project team will also be available in Trefusis Park on Friday 4 October between 10am and 12 noon, and on Thursday 17 October between 2pm and 4pm to answer questions in a more informal setting.
Feedback can also be submitted by emailing BRICTeam@plymouth.gov.uk
Comments will be collated and considered by the design team in relation to the finalised design.
More details about the scheme and ways in which you can share your views can be found at: www.plymouth.gov.uk/trefusisparkfloodreliefscheme