SuDS Awards 2026

Two days in Newcastle for the SuDS Awards 2026 offered a valuable opportunity to engage with the people and projects shaping the future of sustainable drainage.

Beyond recognising outstanding schemes, the event brought together practitioners, local authorities, academics and delivery teams to discuss how SuDS is evolving as an integral part of placemaking. Many of the themes explored reflected conversations we’re already having through our own projects: delivering water management that works as landscape infrastructure, supports biodiversity, and creates places people value.

A huge thank you to CIRIA, susdrain, Newcastle City Council and Newcastle University for putting together an excellent programme of site visits, technical presentations, networking and the awards ceremony.

One of the highlights was exploring Blue Green Newcastle with Carl H. Seeing locals interacting with the rain gardens and hearing firsthand how positive they have been during heavy rainfall demonstrating how investment in blue-green infrastructure can successfully address flooding while strengthening the character of the public realm. The integration of planting, movement, public space and water management showed how landscape-led design delivers benefits that extend well beyond drainage performance.

The awards celebrated projects that are setting a high benchmark for the industry. Stockport Interchange demonstrated the value of multifunctional green infrastructure, Great Green Bedwyn Rain Gardens highlighted the importance of community engagement in long-term success, and The Canal Quarter, Cardiff showcased how water management can become an integral part of vibrant civic spaces.

One message came through consistently across every discussion: the best SuDS projects are no longer treated as engineering solutions with landscape added afterwards. They begin with an integrated, landscape-led approach where water, ecology, movement and community are considered together from the outset.

It was a pleasure to spend time with colleagues across the sector, sharing ideas, discussing common challenges and seeing how our collective thinking continues to move the profession forward. We’re looking forward to following the next phase of Blue Green Newcastle and continuing to help shape this conversation through the projects we deliver.