New rain garden helping to prevent flooding on Hove road

A new ‘rain garden’ to help prevent flooding on a road in Hove is now complete.

It was created at the junction of Norton Road and Eaton Road to help absorb rainwater.

Norton Road has a history of flooding during severe wet weather and was heavily flooded during a storm in July 2014.

The garden will help absorb some of the water that would otherwise flow down the road, but it will also create a new green space with biodiverse plantings and a more accessible junction.

After months of work and using money from the council Carbon neutral fundthe rain garden is now complete and the junction reopened to vehicles.

What is a rain garden?

A rain garden is a type of Sustainable Drainage System (SuDS) used to reduce surface water flooding.

For this project, the new curb line has small spaces, which allow surface water to flow into the garden.

It also includes biodiversity planting, and new street trees

Watch a video on Sustainable Drainage Systems.

Why the need?

Brighton & Hove is ranked 8th in the top 10 Flood Risk Areas in England, with surface water runoff from heavy rainfall posing the biggest problems.

More than 30,000 properties in the city are at risk of flooding.

Innovative and beautiful

Councilor Trevor Muten, Chair of the Council’s Transport and Sustainability Committee said: “Seeing the rain garden completed is amazing. It really is a wonderful space and it just shows that you can mix innovation with beauty.

“We have all seen and experienced the effects of climate change on our weather. The rain garden will help ease some of the flooding that people in Norton Road have suffered over the years.

“Biodiversity planting has transformed this simple junction into a vibrant green space that really stands out.”