Gurnard will be the first place on the Isle of Wight to have its roads revamped with new sustainable drainage solutions (SuDS), such as raingardens and tree pits, to help reduce storm overflow activity.
The scheme is part of a partnership with the Isle of Wight Council and Southern Water to slow the flow of rainwater entering our sewers. It is when these pipes become overloaded by this influx of water that storm overflows are more likely to be activated – to prevent homes and communities from flooding.
The work in Gurnard, across 1.72 hectares of roadside land, is forecast to prevent around 170,000 litres of water from entering our sewers during a 10mm rainfall event – equivalent to more than 700,000 cups of tea.
The roads which will benefit from this work, which starts at the end of January 2025, include:
- aAlbert Road
- Worsley Road
- Solent View Road
- Woodvale Close
- Woodvale Road
- Worsley Road
Ahead of work starting, a drop-in event at Gurnard Village Hall, Worsley Road, is planned for Sunday 15th December from 14:00-17:00.
Keith Herbert, of Southern Water’s Clean Rivers and Seas Task Force, says:
“We are very excited about getting to work in Gurnard to re-green these roads and create a natural solution to the issue of water running off roads and ending up in our sewer network.
“A big proportion of the water that gets into our sewer network on the Isle of Wight comes from roads and roofs. This project is the start of major work re-greening roads across the island that will make a real difference in our ongoing work to reduce storm overflows. “
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Councillor Paul Fuller, Cabinet member for Planning, Coastal Protection, and Flooding at the Isle of Wight Council, adds:
“We are committed to implementing sustainable solutions that not only address immediate concerns like storm overflows but also contribute to the long-term environmental health of our community.
“This project in Gurnard is a significant step towards creating a greener, more resilient infrastructure on the Isle of Wight. Additionally, we anticipate a potential improvement to bathing water quality, given the impact of surface water on outflows entering local beaches.”
