Making Margate a cooler, greener place
We're working on a project in Margate to reduce the risk of flooding and the impact of increasing summer temperatures.
New natural water storage
We've recently created ponds and ditches in George Park, which provide 761m3 of natural storage for road surface water that previously entered the sewer system and could lead to local flooding.
The stored water can now slowly filter back into the ground, increasing the capacity of the sewer and supporting sustainable water management.
Planting trees
As well as reducing the flood risk, we've also been trying to understand and address the local climate risks by considering where we can plant trees. This will help to reduce the impact of increasing summer temperatures by providing shade, whilst creating attractive spaces for residents and visitors.
We've planted trees and installed specialised tree pit systems (called ArborFlow SuDS tree pit systems) on 2 roads next to George Park. The tree pit systems have been placed in the existing verges and are designed to receive and manage surface water directly from the road.
The top of each tree pit system has been planted with an appropriate tree for the conditions they will experience and will provide an increased tree canopy cover in the street. Over 30 trees have been planted in the 2 roads next to George Park.
The species of trees, a mixture of Maples and Maidenhair trees, have been selected for their:
- canopy size - to generate shade
- ability to withstand drought and heavy rainfall
- biodiversity benefits
- ability to improve air quality.
Funding
The work is being funded by:
- the EU Interreg North Seas Region project
- Blue Green Infrastructure with Social Innovation (BEGIN)
- the EU Interreg 2 Seas project
- Cool Towns
- DEFRA Urban Tree Challenge Fund.