The project so far, as one of the first of its kind in Newham, has resulted in many new lessons. Hopefully these can be used in future rain garden projects. This post covers the main lessons learned regarding retrofit and installation, which are:
1: Flexibility in rain garden design is a huge advantage, when the Renfrew rain gardens were under construction shallow service infrastructure meant some areas had to be redesigned, which saved time and effort by working around them.
2: The time of year for installation of retrofit projects is crucial, as wet weather can cause the remedial work to be made more difficult, so timing the work around good weather conditions is strongly advised.
3: An effective management chain, good communications and strong partnerships between all parties involved are all essential to maximize the project benefits and delivery.
4: Interaction between the Local Authority is key. The Renfrew project benefited from extensive support from Newham Council at both a strategic and operational level.
1: Flexibility in rain garden design is a huge advantage, when the Renfrew rain gardens were under construction shallow service infrastructure meant some areas had to be redesigned, which saved time and effort by working around them.
2: The time of year for installation of retrofit projects is crucial, as wet weather can cause the remedial work to be made more difficult, so timing the work around good weather conditions is strongly advised.
3: An effective management chain, good communications and strong partnerships between all parties involved are all essential to maximize the project benefits and delivery.
4: Interaction between the Local Authority is key. The Renfrew project benefited from extensive support from Newham Council at both a strategic and operational level.