Barnet residential SuDS Planters

Partnering with Barnet Council and Harrow Council, Thames Water, Environment Agency, Greater London Authority, Canal and River Trust, Brent Catchment Partnership, on the Action for Silk Stream borough partnership project, we brought retrofit SuDS planters directly to people’s homes. It is estimated that over 1000 homes in the Silk Stream catchment area are at risk of flooding and suffering during intense rainfall. The pilot scheme, that was rolled out in January 2026, offered a solution to flooding concerns and generated such positive resident response to secure phase 2 taking place in May 2026.

The project aims to boost flood defences in homes in the Silk Stream Catchment area. With a pilot run of the scheme taking place first, the goal of the project was also to spread awareness about the important of flood resilience to residents, helping them better understand the risks they face and the practical steps they can take to protect their properties. Combining the installation with community engagement, the project seeks to build long-term resilience and reduce the impact of future flood events.

The first round of installations took place in the London Borough of Barnet, with 7 homes included. 7 SuDS Planters were designed, fabricated and installed to suit the individual needs and spatial capacity of each home.

This resulted in a range of SuDS Planter sizes from 800 x 600 x 650mm to 1800 x 500 x 950mm.

To combat the issue of flooding across the Silk Stream catchment area, this collaborative project combined a range of approaches to ensure a smooth uptake of the planters and strong community engagement.

The first phase of the project has seen such success that more residents have come forward to opt in for the next phase of SuDS Planters taking place in May 2026. The scheme has helped bring about environmental benefits as well as spread awareness of flood risk and mitigation.