1. Barnaby Resch

   Posted 8 months ago #

   What are the WSUD options for high density urban environments such as town centres?  These environs are characterised by  almost 100% impermiable surfaces, mostly consisting of roads, carparks and rooftop, very limited space for typical treatment devices, the need to share road verges and open space with other users and underground services.

   Is it practical to treat stormwater at source in these environ with permiable paving, sand filters and stormwater harvesting and storage, or is it better to move the water away to other areas, such as parks, for treatment?  Noting that most Council's want their parks to be parks and not stormwater devices.  Also the volumes and flows I  expect would be quite high so the end of pipe treament devices could be very large.

   There would appear to be a need to change standard road designs to ensure room for treatment. Has there been any consensus from the road engineers on how this would be best done?

   Is it possible to put sand filters or infiltraion under street parking areas or would this compromise the road surface to much?

   Is there good examples of a totally integrated WSUD system in a high denisty towncentre situation?

   I think finding solutions to these and the miriad of other issues surrounding high density situations are important, especially in a retrofit situations.

   Cheers

2. Shaun Leinster

   Posted 8 months ago #

   Hi Barnaby

   There are a number of excellent examples of WSUD in dense Urban environments which illustrate the practicality of delivering WSUD in "town centre" style situations. These include:
   - Victoria Park in Sydney
   - Melbourne Docklands
   - Adelaide Museum
   - University of Sydney
   - Little Collins St, Melbourne
   - Waitangi Parkland in Wellington
   - Southport Broadwater Parkland (gold coast)
   - Kogarah Town Square
   - North Shore, Brisbane
   - Victorian college of the arts
   - Numerous highand low rise developments on the gold coast

   These provide a mix of new development and retrofit examples.

   Additionally there is a number of other projects in the planning and construction which incorpate WSUD:
   - There is a new Town Centre being created in the outskirts of Townsville which fully incorporate WSUD features to meet the new State Planning Policy objectives.
   - Wooloogabba Structure Plan
   - Auckland Sea+City
   - Harbour Esplanade in Melbourne
   - etc. etc. etc.

   There is an excellent resource on the following link which shows case studies in Melbourne. Zoom into the CBD for the kids of examples you would like to review:
   http://www.wsud.melbournewater.com.au/content/case_studies/case_studies.asp

   All of these projects incorporate contemporary stormwater management measures incorporated into streetscape or allotment landscapes. This required careful collaboration between designers was required to ensure the stormwater systems also form part of the landscape (functional, passively watered landscapes that are well connected and integrated with surrounds).

   You are correct in saying that changes to road designs are required to support WSUD. BUT not big changes. In most cases close consideration of service corridors are required (telecom, elec, sewer etc.) and potentially an adjustment to these locations required to allow the incorporation of WSUD. In some cases this will require widenning of road reserves locally to provide space. The earlier these issues are considered i nthe design process the better!!! To support this a number of Councils in Queensland are now developing standard road cross sections which incorpoate bioretention pods.

   Regarding the preferred solution of the site, it depends on the site and receiving environment characterstics and the urban design/engineering design objectives. There are many solutions for these urban settings as illustrated by the examples and the solution in these cases has been dicated by site and receiving environment characterstics and design intent.

   Cheers

    

    

    

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