How to create a Sponge City

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Event information

You can watch all the talks from the event here.

Meristem Design are hosting a SuDS event, ‘How to create a Sponge City’ at the Building Centre on the 24th March 2026. The event will bring together engineers, local authorities, utility companies and other thought leaders in flood management to explore how we can make our cities more climate resilient.

Taking place during the Building Centre’s WATER: Resilience & Innovation exhibition, this event is the perfect opportunity to explore innovations and solutions shaping the future of water in urban design.

Whether you’re designing your own SuDS project or are keen to know more, this event will get you inspired to think differently about flood alleviation in our urban spaces.

Interested in attending? Register here.

Arrival: 1:15

We suggest attendees arrive between 1:15-1:30 to grab yourselves a drink and get settled before the first talk.

Session One - Making Sponge Cities Real: Delivery, Guidance & Innovation

Start time: 1:30

This session explores how we move SuDS from policymaking into consistent, everyday practice with the aim of making sustainable drainage systems easier to deliver and part of the mainstream.

Bringing together water companies and engineering leaders, the session focuses on what is working on the ground and how guidance, standards and innovation can unlock further progress.

1:30- Habib Khan, Director, Meristem Design (event chair)

1:40 – Matt Wheeldon, Wessex Water & Adrien Baudrimont, CIRIA

2:00 – Rhys Williams, Civic

2:15 – Ola Oladiran & Mansoor Hassan, DfE

2:30 – Laura Liddaman, Thames Water

2:45 – Anna Fyffe, Southern Water

3:00 – Panel for 15 mins

Catch up on the talks:

Habib Khan, Meristem Design: Putting the nature into SuDS

Matt Wheeldon, Wessex Water: Building sponge cities

Adrien Baudrimont, CIRIA: Rainwater Management Platform

Rhys Williams, Civic: Dig Once, Green Twice

Ola Oladiran and Charlene Blake, Department for Education: Keeping Schools Dry Water Strategy

Dr Laura Liddaman, Thames Water: Delivering SuDS at Scale – finding common ground

Anna Fyffe, Southern Water: Making Sponge Cities Real

Refreshment break: 3:15

A chance for you to meet the other event attendees alongside hot drinks and other refreshments.

Session Two - Designing the Sponge City: Climate, Community and more...

Start time: 3:45

This session turns to people, place and nature, looking at how SuDS can support resilient, climate ready communities.

From local projects to nature led approaches, the talks will highlight the role of design, engagement and environmental thinking, all whilst focusing on creating places that work with water and deliver wider community benefits.

3:45 – Habib Khan, Director, Meristem Design (event chair)

3:55 – Matthew Jessop, WSP

4:05 – Christopher Martin, Urban Movement

4:15 – Clyde Loakes, London Borough of Waltham Forest

4:30 – Sam Nicholson, Environment Agency

4:45 – Panel for 15 mins

Catch up on the talks:

Habib Khan, Meristem Design: How can we make rain gardens more engaging for the public?

Matt Jessop, WSP: Sponge Cities: frameworks for resilience

Christopher Martin, Urban Movement: Systems Thinking

Clyde Loakes, London Borough of Waltham Forest: Designing the Sponge City

Sam Nicholson, Environment Agency: Environment Agency National Approach to Beavers