Case studies

Barnet residential SuDS Planters

Making our homes more flood resilient: Residential SuDS Planters in Barnet

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 are bringing 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, offers a solution to flooding concerns and generated such positive resident response to secure following phases. Phase 2 was successfully completed in June 2026 and phase 3 and 4 will begin installation in September 2026. By the end of 2026, we are aiming to have rolled out SuDS planters and water butts in 100 homes across the catchment area.

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.

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.

Pilot Scheme

Introducing a pilot scheme enabled the council to propose the concept to residents and assess community feedback before rolling out more further SuDS planters

Tailored Approach

We looked at every home individually to calculate the appropriate size and attachments of each SuDS Planter to ensure the most effective installation and flood management

Customised Plant Scheme

We selected plants based on their drought tolerance and the sunlight positioning of the planters

Resident Engagement

Directly engaged with residents to raise awareness of the potential benefits of SuDS planters and their role in mitigating flood risk

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

Education and Awareness Boost

Involving residents in the process and having their homes be the focal point of installation has helped spread greater flood and SuDS awareness across the borough.

Flood Resilience

The SuDS Planters have been helping capture and slow rainfall and roof runoff since installation, alleviating flood risk.

Biodiversity Boost

A broad range of plants were chosen to bring biodiversity and greenery to people's homes in a dense urban area.

Roof Downpipe Connection

Each SuDS Planter was connected to downpipes, capturing and slowing roof runoff and preventing puddling and flooding.

Client

Barnet and Harrow Councils

Location

Sectors

Products & Services

Testimonials

“I love my Suds planter, it’s made beautifully & it was planted up by the installation crew, a few months on now the plants are flourishing and nobody would know that it’s actually trying to serve a purpose.”

Sharon

Barnet Resident

Featured products, landscapes & services

Get in touch

If you like what you've seen in our case study and want to learn more about how this could work in your setting, please get in touch.

"*" indicates required fields

This field is hidden when viewing the form

Referring URL

First Name*

Last Name*

Email address*

Phone number

What sector are you from?

Where did you hear about us?

Other

Message

Upload supporting documents

Drop files here or

Max. file size: 100 MB.

By contacting us, you consent to our use of your data in accordance with our terms and conditions.