UK's Mansfield Project leading the way in sustainable urban flood resilience

The Mansfield Project represents a paradigm shift in urban flood resilience, addressing escalating challenges posed by climate change and urbanization. By leveraging hundreds of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), such as bioswales, rain gardens, and permeable pavements, the initiative has established itself as the largest retrofit scheme of its kind in the UK. The scale and ambition of the project have drawn significant attention from the global water community, eager to replicate its success in diverse contexts.

Collaborative vision: Insights from the experts

Moderated by Cristina Novo, Technical Editor of Smart Water Magazine, the webinar opened with a compelling introduction to the project’s objectives and achievements. The speakers—Luke C. Johnson and Hannah Howe from AECOM, alongside Paul Campbell from Autodesk Water—offered a multifaceted exploration of the project’s challenges, innovations, and impact.

Firstly, Paul Campbell, Solutions Engineer at Autodesk Water, provided a comprehensive overview of Autodesk’s innovative solutions, emphasizing the company's global reach with over 6,000 clients. He explored the functionalities and advantages of its tools, demonstrating how digital twins and real-time data integration have transformed planning, execution, and maintenance phases in projects like the Mansfield Project. These technologies enable seamless visualization of complex systems, allowing stakeholders to make proactive decisions and ensure longevity infrastructure. Campbell underscored how Autodesk’s solutions, such as InfoWorks ICM, facilitated faster design approvals, reducing delays and associated costs—critical for large-scale projects. He elaborated, stating, “InfoWorks ICM is a comprehensive solution for all aspects of rainfall catchment modelling, seamlessly integrating river systems, urban drainage, and overland flow. This powerful tool enables collaborative, multi-disciplinary teams to perform detailed analyses of both urban and rural catchments, supporting informed decision-making for capacity improvements, system expansions, and enhancing network resilience.”

Next, Hannah Howe, Principal Consultant & Team Leader at AECOM, provided a comprehensive overview of the Mansfield Project and its transformative vision: testing the viability of deploying SuDS at a catchment-wide scale to mitigate surface water flooding, reduce sewer overflows, and enhance urban ecosystems. During her presentation, Howe emphasized the importance of the "no regrets" strategy, noting, “There has been a ‘No regrets’ approach to this project. Every little helps with regards to removing surface water from the combined sewer network. The project is not targeting specific flooding mechanisms, but rather building resilience around the catchment.” Furthermore, Howe elaborated on key interventions, including detention basins and verge rain gardens, demonstrating how SuDS are designed not only for functionality but also to foster community engagement and improve urban aesthetics. She highlighted the broader impact, stating, "The project aims to enhance climate resilience, reduce flooding, improve river water quality, foster a greener and cleaner community, and drive green job creation."

She then introduced Luke Johnson, Principal Consultant at AECOM, who delved into the technical intricacies of SuDS design and implementation, highlighting the collaborative development of standardized templates with Severn Trent and local authorities. These templates have become a cornerstone of the project’s success, enabling consistent and scalable deployment while streamlining the regulatory approval process. Johnson underscored the role of advanced hydraulic modeling tools, particularly InfoWorks ICM, in optimizing SuDS performance. This technology allowed for precise adaptation to Mansfield’s existing urban infrastructure, addressing challenges like limited space and varying hydrological conditions.

Engaging dialogue: Tackling big questions

Johnson underscored the role of advanced hydraulic modeling tools, particularly InfoWorks ICM, in optimizing SuDS performance

The Q&A session was a vibrant exchange that demonstrated the audience's deep engagement with the subject matter. Over 60 questions addressed a wide array of technical and strategic aspects of the Mansfield project, providing a platform for exploring both the challenges and opportunities presented by blue-green infrastructure.

A recurring theme in the discussion was the challenge of accounting for urban creep and the increasing prevalence of impermeable surfaces in modern cities. The speakers delved into how these factors were integrated into the SuDS design process, emphasizing the use of baseline models that accounted for future urban growth. They also highlighted the importance of ongoing post-construction monitoring, which allows for adjustments and refinements based on real-world performance, ensuring the interventions remain effective over time.

The speakers explained how the design process incorporated biodiversity goals, using native plants to create habitats that enhance ecological value while minimizing maintenance challenges

Another rich area of discussion revolved around the multifunctionality of SuDS in public spaces. Participants were particularly interested in how features like rain gardens and bioswales serve dual purposes: managing stormwater effectively while also providing recreational and aesthetic benefits for communities. The speakers explained how the design process incorporated biodiversity goals, using native plants to create habitats that enhance ecological value while minimizing maintenance challenges. This integration of functionality and community benefit emerged as one of the standout achievements of the project.

Cost-effectiveness in implementing small-scale, diffuse interventions also captured significant attention. Panelists discussed how innovative hydraulic modeling tools were essential in ensuring that every intervention provided maximum benefit. By leveraging data-driven insights, the project team was able to identify optimal locations for interventions, balancing costs with measurable outcomes in flood mitigation and water quality improvement.

The issue of maintenance was another focal point, with attendees questioning how long-term responsibilities are managed, particularly for SuDS located in public areas. The speakers addressed this by detailing collaboration with local authorities and stakeholders, ensuring that maintenance plans were clearly defined and responsibilities effectively allocated. These strategies not only safeguarded the infrastructure’s longevity but also fostered community buy-in.

The session also touched on the adaptability of the Mansfield model to other geographic contexts. While the project's scale and scope are uniquely ambitious, its principles—leveraging data, collaboration, and standardized design—can serve as a blueprint for addressing urban water challenges worldwide. The lively exchange of ideas during the Q&A underscored the global relevance of the themes discussed and highlighted the innovative spirit driving the Mansfield project.

Closing thoughts: Technology as the driving force behind transformation

The Mansfield Sustainable Flood Resilience Project underscores the transformative potential of nature-based solutions, but its success would not have been possible without the advanced tools provided by Autodesk. The integration of cutting-edge technologies like InfoWorks ICM and digital twins enabled seamless planning, design, and maintenance of this ambitious initiative. These tools were critical in modeling complex hydraulic systems, optimizing SuDS placement, and ensuring data-driven decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.

Autodesk’s solutions also addressed some of the most pressing challenges of such a large-scale retrofit, from streamlining approvals through precise visualizations to proactively identifying maintenance needs via real-time data integration. The ability to combine live operational insights with predictive modeling not only accelerated project delivery but also laid the groundwork for long-term resilience.

As the water industry continues to innovate, Autodesk remains at the forefront of enabling these advancements. The Mansfield Project exemplifies how technology can bridge the gap between vision and reality, turning ambitious sustainability goals into actionable, measurable outcomes. For cities worldwide, these tools offer a pathway to replicate the project’s success and reimagine urban water management for a climate-resilient future.