SuDS+: Community-led Future
Co-designing green infrastructure and developing a new stewardship model with the local community
SECTOR
Public, Climate
CLIENTS
DEFRA, Durham County Council
SERVICES
Participatory Design, Design Research
LOCATION
Stanley, Durham, United Kingdom
How can we design a community-led process for green infrastructure that creates benefits for all in the face of climate change?
The rich and long history of the United Kingdom comes with outdated infrastructure in the face of an increasingly severe climate crisis. Flooding in the UK has become more serious year after year, and green infrastructure is crucial to mitigate the risk of flooding.
The project aims to meet diverse stakeholder and community needs by considering sustainable drainage systems not only as water management infrastructure but instead as drivers of urban (re-)development that can enrich the public realm and build the resilience of places and communities. As advocates for participatory design, we co-developed and facilitated a variety of participatory research tools and activities such as focus group discussions, co-creation workshops and community vision-setting and partnership exercises.
30+
community and stakeholder interviews were conducted by 2024 for the project.
5
community champions were trained to be actively involved in the project and understand their role in public project as a local member.
300+
community members were engaged on gathering local vision and design concepts by 2024.
Approach
The first year of the programme focused on research and community engagement, involved devising a community-led infrastructure visioning, design, and delivery model together with the people of Stanley in County Durham. We brought together stakeholders - from residents, businesses, community organisations, housing associations, and water authorities – in
a participatory design process, using co-design workshops, interviews, walking tours, and play-based design games. The ongoing problem focused on taking the community's vision into reality.
Engagement and Research Methods
Outputs
Through engagement, we synthesised insights into seven local visions, visualised in the illustration below. We found that local members are particularly passionate about the economic and educational benefits that green infrastructure can bring to their town.
Community concepts
Community concepts were generated through these workshops, informing community's vision, needs and ideas for the town.
