Ireland’s Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) has published guidance on implementing urban nature-based solutions into developments, which has been co-authored by our team at Civic.

LAWPRO works on behalf of Ireland’s 31 local authorities to protect and restore good water quality in our rivers, lakes, estuaries, ground and coastal water, and is funded by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.

Based on feedback from local authorities and professionals working in the area, LAWPRO identified the need for the guidance on the incorporation of nature-based solutions for the management of urban rainwater and surface water. The important document outlines interventions that are easily incorporated, and includes:

• An introduction to what ‘nature-based solutions’ are
• A toolbox for nature-based solutions features, such as filter drains, swales, tree pits and green-blue roofs
• Case studies of nature-based solutions urban drainage designs vs traditional ‘hard approaches’
• Their background policy and legislative context

Aimed primarily at planners, developers and developer agents, the guidance will also be a source of valuable and practical information for those working on housing, transport, active travel and public projects.

Our team has shared their experiences and insights of climate resilient infrastructure to inform many policy papers and guidance to date, including Ireland’s National Transport Authority sustainable drainage systems advice, Transport for London’s SuDs guidance and district design guidance and codes.

Stephen O’Malley, our CEO and co-founder, said: “It has been a privilege to be part of the team that authored this work alongside Tom Brennan, Eamonn O’Connell, Fran Igoe of Local Authority Waters Programme and colleagues Kieran Lyons at Civic Engineers and Becca Thomas at New Practice.

“This cross-discipline Local Authority Waters Programme initiative recognises where our industry actually is on the culture change journey, converting the innovative into the everyday and ultimately crossing the chasm.

“This guidance aims to inspire and demystify, and is intended as a companion piece to the plethora of policies that already exist. One that tells the story step-by-step with projects and schemes that are familiar, applying the Nature-based Solutions lens and laying down the straightforward interventions that positively shift the dial towards healthier and more sustainable choices.”

Nature-based solutions significantly contribute to addressing multiple societal challenges. Alongside reducing flood risk and improving the quality of water entering watercourses, they increase biodiversity and amenity through the introduction of plants, making for more ecologically valuable and more attractive places.

We have spearheaded this approach in many projects, including Ireland’s first raingarden demonstrator in Cobh, Glasgow’s ‘Avenues’, Gascoigne Estate in London, Climate Innovation District in Leeds and Stretford’s Kingsway, and many more.

We hope that you find the guidance practical, helpful and inspiring. You can access the document here.