New sustainable drainage system boosts flood resilience on Portobello Road

A pioneering sustainable drainage system (SuDS) on the iconic Portobello Road in west London will help to reduce flood risk for a community affected by major flooding in 2021.

The pilot scheme, funded through Flood Ready London and delivered by Kensington and Chelsea Council in partnership with the Portobello Flood Action Group, is testing innovative drainage technology ahead of a larger rollout planned for 2027.

The system uses specialist units to capture and temporarily store rainwater before releasing it slowly into the sewer network, ensuring Portobello Road is better equipped to withstand future extreme weather. During recent testing 40 litres of water drained away in just one minute and 30 seconds. Engineers also carried out a runoff test simulating an intense rainfall event. The system successfully absorbed 1,000 litres of water, showing it can handle the kind of heavy downpours that are becoming more common as the climate changes.

The project is designed to help prevent a repeat of the flooding experienced in July 2021, when homes and businesses along Portobello Road were severely affected. The area's Victorian sewers no longer have the capacity to cope with increasingly intense rainfall, making surface water flooding a growing concern.

The National Flood Forum has played an important role in supporting the Portobello Flood Action Group after the group formed in 2024.