Water basins set to be introduced in Doncaster to prevent flooding
Residents in a Doncaster suburb are being asked for their views on proposals to improve flood resilience in the neighbourhood, as part of a new consultation being run by City of Doncaster Council and Yorkshire Water.
An area of Doncaster that is susceptible to flooding, Scawthorpe often retains large amounts of surface water during periods of intense or prolonged rainfall.
This has, in turn, resulted in local homes being flooded in the past, with the local residents consistently citing this as one of their top concerns.
To address the issue, Yorkshire Water and City of Doncaster Council are now planning to introduce several new features to the area.
Known as Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS), these will include three basins that can temporarily store and then release rainwater at a more controlled rate, as well as rain gardens that can absorb water runoff from adjacent highways and driveways.
The intention behind these measures is to reduce the frequency and impact of flooding and increase resilience for residents and businesses in Scawthorpe.
Local residents are encouraged to share their thoughts on the new proposals, by completing an online form.
Open until 12 April, the survey asks respondents to indicate if they support the plans, while also giving them an opportunity to influence how the proposed features might look, by helping to decide what types of flowers and plants are added into the surrounding area.
Encouraging the people of Scawthorpe to take part in this consultation, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Glyn Jones, said: “We understand that flooding is a concern for the public, and these proposals will help tackle the issue in one of our most regularly affected neighbourhoods.
"The sustainable features will be effective in managing surface water during periods of intense rainfall and will also serve as attractive green spaces for the local communities to enjoy.
“We therefore encourage local residents to spare just a few minutes to take part in our consultation, to help shape these important plans, and to ensure that the voice of Scawthorpe residents is being heard.”
Eve Pierrepont, Resilience Partnership Portfolio Manager at Yorkshire Water, added: “We’d really welcome feedback and input from local residents about the SuDs proposals, giving them an opportunity to take an active role in the decisions that will impact where they live.
“Nature-based solutions such as SuDS provide an effective tool for flood management as well as creating a thriving habitat and encouraging biodiversity in local communities.”
Members of the public can learn more about the SuDS proposals and take part in the consultation by heading to https://shorturl.at/jJUi5
The planned works in Scawthorpe are part of a larger effort to tackle surface water flooding in urban areas via the Doncaster Immingham and Grimsby (DIG) project.
A partnership between Northeast Lincolnshire Council, City of Doncaster Council, Anglian Water and Yorkshire Water, this sees the use of innovative sustainable drainage (SuDS) techniques to improve flood resilience and bring communities closer to nature.
In addition to Scawthorpe, the scheme is also being implemented in Doncaster at Clay Lane, where a similar consultation took place in 2024.