The Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership is a nationally significant exemplar of catchment-scale water and drainage infrastructure planning. This project is needed to better service existing communities, unlock potential development sites and to build greater resilience to long-term climate change. Further key projects will be delivered within the lifetime of NPF3, ensuring that aspirations for regeneration and growth are supported by improved infrastructure capacity.

Implementation Lead(s): Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership

Locations: East Dunbartonshire; East Renfrewshire; Glasgow City; North Lanarkshire; Renfrewshire; South Lanarkshire; West Dunbartonshire

Further reading:
Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership

Environmental Mitigation: SEA of project in progress. Explore scope to add value through links with green infrastructure projects.

National Planning Framework 3 Strategic Environmental Assessment (as updated)
National Planning Framework 3 Habitats Regulation Appraisal

Ongoing Activity and Milestones:
Implement the Vision and Guiding Principles of the Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership, to transform how the city region thinks about and manages rainfall to end uncontrolled flooding and improve water quality.

Action Update:

Pro-active external comms to spread the message of the vision / guiding principles and the work of the MGSDP is ongoing. This includes: biannual distribution of newsletters project specific public engagement events and participation at industry events / workshops and presentations such as the Institution of Civil Engineers Flooding Conference, June 30, 2016, the CIWEM Scottish Symposium, May 5, 2016, the Liveable Cities – Flooding and Climate Change Seminar, November 8, 2016, the Risk, Resilience and Response in a Changing Climate Conference, January 31, 2017, the SNIFFER Flood Risk Management Conference 5th / 6th February 2018, and the CIWEM Scotland Branch Summer Conference, June 27 2019. The MGSDP also chaired a session, led a challenge event and hosted an excursion to the east end of Glasgow for the 3^rd European Climate Change Adaptation Conference held in Glasgow, 5^th to 9^th June 2017. On 8^th March 2019, the MGSDP held a stakeholder event to review the scale of the challenge facing the City region and the projects that have been and will be delivered to mitigate the impact of these challenges. A further MGSDP stakeholder event is being planned for late 2020.

The MGSDP website – www.mgsdp.org – highlights the Vision and Guiding Principles of the MGSDP, and what we can all do to reduce the risks and impacts of flooding. In addition, the MGSDP Twitter profile – @The_MGSDP – is helping raise the profile of the MGSDP and highlight key items of interest from the partners and wider industry.

A video has also been produced to highlight and promote the MGSDP Vision and Guiding Principles.

A Framework for Assessment of Project Success in the Delivery of the Guiding Principles has been created for use on MGSDP projects.

The Glasgow City Region City Deal Cabinet has approved funding for £918million worth of infrastructure projects. Outline Business Case approval for MGSDP projects includes approximately £38m of sustainable, integrated urban design and surface water management projects. Each project is dependent on approval of a detailed Business Case.

The first MGSDP badged City Deal project – the Camlachie Burn Realignment Project – received Full Business Case (FBC) approval for detailed design and construction, and works commenced on site in November 2017.  This project to reduce the risks and impacts of flooding by removing two key hydraulic pinch points on the watercourse and opening up a section of the existing culvert will facilitate development and urban regeneration in the east end of Glasgow. The project achieved practical completion in November 2019.

City Deal FBC approval has also been received for the following projects:

Cardowan Surface Water Management Plan (SWMP), which achieved practical completion in December 2019. Further details may be found here – https://www.mgsdp.org/index.aspx?articleid=25742

The first phase of the Hillington SWMP, which achieved practical completion in December 2019. Further details may be found here – https://www.mgsdp.org/index.aspx?articleid=24906

South East Glasgow SWMP, which commenced works on site in July 2019. Further details may be found here – https://www.mgsdp.org/index.aspx?articleid=25766

Garrowhill SWMP, which commenced works on site in October 2019. Further details may be found here – https://www.mgsdp.org/index.aspx?articleid=25765

Drumchapel SWMP, which commenced works on site in March 2020.

Further FBC approvals are anticipated in late autumn 2020 for Hillington SWMP Phase 2 and 3.

Facilitate and promote integrated, collaborative working between partners and key stakeholders, in line with the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.

Action Update:

The partners continue to share information on current and future projects to ensure visibility of projects to support collaborative, integrated working and the development of Integrated projects that are delivered jointly between partners.

Glasgow City Council, Scottish Canals and Scottish Water entered into a Drainage Partnership Agreement for another MGSDP badged City Deal project – The North Glasgow Integrated Water Management Scheme (NGIWMS) – Glasgow’s Smart Canal – to approve the concept and funding of the project, which will utilise the Canal as a surface water management asset to reduce the risk of flooding and facilitate the regeneration of North Glasgow. A short animation explaining how the system will work is available here – https://youtu.be/MFykgGeee1o. Canal Works Contract construction activities commenced in May 2018 and the project reached practical completion in October 2019.

The NGIWMS project is a key element of the Canal & North Gateway masterplan which has secured SNH Green Infrastructure Funding in addition to City Deal funding noted above, to enhance green space along the canal corridor between Firhill and Port Dundas, including creation of a local nature reserve.

The Greater Easterhouse Integrated Green Infrastructure project, linked to the delivery of the Cardowan SWMP, has also been successful in securing SNH Green Infrastructure Funding to provide large scale enhancement of green infrastructure which will give local people links to a wide network of green space including the Seven Lochs area. The project will also benefit a nationally important population of water voles.  This project commenced works on site in August 2018 and achieved practical completion in December 2019.

The Hillington SWMP is a collaborative project between Glasgow City Council, Renfrewshire Council and Southside Housing Association to deliver surface water management interventions as part of the Halfway Community Park SNH Green Infrastructure Funded project.  The first phase of this project commenced works on site in March 2019 and achieved practical completion in December 2019.  Scottish Water and Network Rail are also contributing to data gathering / sharing for the delivery of the project.

For more information on the SNH Green Infrastructure Fund, visit the website – http://www.greeninfrastructurescotland.org.uk/

The partners are also working in a collaborative manner to deliver SWMP, natural flood management (NFM) and integrated catchment study (ICS) projects across the area, along with other Actions identified in the Clyde and Loch Lomond (CaLL) Local Flood Risk Management Plan.

In September 2017, the MGSDP held a workshop, with senior level representation from all partners and key stakeholders, to consider the main challenges facing the MGSDP and wider industry, and identify key actions to focus on in the coming years. Following this event, a detailed Action Plan has been developed to inform the MGSDP work programme for the coming period.

The MGSDP also continues to engage with Climate Ready Clyde to develop a strategy and action plan to ensure a resilient Glasgow City Region. Further information is available via the Climate Ready Clyde website – http://climatereadyclyde.org.uk/

The MGSDP is also in discussion with the Scottish Government regarding national surface water policy.

A director of the Central Scotland Green Network (CSGN) (NPF3 National Development No. 6) is a core MGSDP Board member, thus helping to strengthen existing collaborative working between these two NPF National Development projects.

In September 2019, the MGSDP held a joint meeting with the Scottish Government and the Edinburgh and Lothians Strategic Drainage Partnership to share learning / knowledge, and a further meeting is planned for December 2020.

The MGSDP is also working with the Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) on a project to capture lessons learnt from the work of the MGSDP to date, to share with the wider industry. The output from this project should be available early 2021.

Planning authority development plans to reflect the plans, Guiding Principles and projects of the Metropolitan Glasgow Strategic Drainage Partnership.

Action Update:

The Strategic Development Plan (SDP) for the Glasgow City Region was approved, with modifications, by Scottish Ministers on July 24, 2017. The SDP is currently the subject of an appeal to the Court of Session which will be heard on 6th and 7th February 2018. The SDP sets out a development strategy over the next 20 years of where new development should be located and a policy framework to help deliver sustainable economic growth, shape good quality places and enhance the quality of life in the Glasgow city region. The Plan has fully embedded the MGSDP’s Vision and Guiding Principles into its approach to managing flood risk and drainage across the Glasgow City Region, supporting both a catchment based approach as well as enabling economic development, improvements in water quality and reducing flooding. The approved SDP can be accessed via the Clydeplan website – www.clydeplan-sdpa.gov.uk/.

In October 2017, Clydeplan published the SDP Action Programme. The Action Programme sets out how Clydeplan will seek to work with other stakeholders to implement the Vision, Spatial Development Strategy and related elements of the SDP. A copy of the Action Programme can be accessed via the Clydeplan website (see link above).

The Glasgow City Development Plan was adopted on March 29^th 2017, and is available here – https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=16186. This Plan replaces Glasgow City Plan 2 (2009) and sets out Glasgow City Council’s land use strategy and provides the basis for assessing planning applications. The Glasgow City Development Plan should be read in conjunction with the Glasgow and the Clyde Valley SDP and relevant statutory supplementary guidance, which aligns with the MGSDP Vision and Guiding Principles. The MGSDP is inputting to the drafting of the next City Development Plan through 2020.

In February 2018, Scottish Water launched its Storm Water Strategy aimed at delivering more sustainable approaches to surface water to reduce flood risk, such as managing runoff above ground, to ensure the sewer network is better able to adapt to existing pressures and climate change.  Further information is available here – https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/en/About%20Us/News%20and%20Views/050218%20Storm%20Water%20Strategy. Scottish Water has also clarified and strengthened its surface water policy and will not normally accept new surface water into the combined sewer system. Further information is available here – https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/en/Business-and-Developers/Connecting-to-Our-Network/Pre-Development-Information/Surface-Water-Policy

Deliver retrofit interventions to actively combat challenges facing the MGSDP region.

Action Update:

The delivery of SWMP and NFM projects and review of roads maintenance plans by MGSDP partners is ongoing, with a core aim of identifying retrofit interventions.

Public engagement events for numerous SWMPs have been held through 2017, 2018 and 2019 for locations such as Easterhouse, Cranhill, High Knightswood, Springburn, South East Glasgow, Hillington and Drumchapel, with feedback being used to define / refine preferred option selection for further analysis and to develop detailed design.

The construction phase of the SWMPs noted in sections above have, and will continue to, deliver retrofit surface water management interventions through 2020 and 2021.

Clyde Gateway continues to lead sustainable regeneration in the East End of Glasgow and has successfully completed a number of key surface water management interventions, including the South Dalmarnock Regional SuDS pond and retrofit highway bio-retention in Carstairs St – see images below, and further work is ongoing to deliver public realm and SuDS as part of the South Dalmarnock district regeneration:-