Redcar and Cleveland Schools: Flood Resilience Scheme
Client: Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
Industry: Education
Location: Redcar and Cleveland
Case Study at a Glance
After experiencing surface water flooding, Watertight International has supported Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council with delivering a multi-site Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) programme across ten schools.
The programme was designed to address surface water flooding issues affecting school grounds and infrastructure, while improving long-term climate resilience and sustainable water management across the education estate.
Each site required a bespoke drainage strategy, combining nature-based SuDS solutions with engineered drainage infrastructure.
The schools included: Bankfields Primary School, Caedmon Primary School, Freebrough Academy, Hummersea Primary School, Kirkleatham Hall School, Lakes Primary School, Normanby Primary School, Nunthorpe Primary School, Ormesby Primary School, and St Peter’s C of E Primary School.
The Challenge
The ten schools across the borough were experiencing surface water flooding during heavy rainfall, caused by:
Impermeable playground surfaces
Limited drainage capacity
Surface water runoff from surrounding land
Drainage systems exceeding capacity during storm events.
The flooding led to ponding on playgrounds, disruption to school activities as well as maintenance and operational challenges.
In addition, any grounds works had to be delivered within live school environments, requiring careful planning to ensure pupil safety and minimal disruption.
Our Approach
Watertight delivered a combination of SuDS interventions and engineered drainage systems, tailored to each site. Works were carefully scheduled to ensure schools remained operational throughout construction.
Installations included:
· SuDS Planters - roof downpipes were redirected into SuDS planters, which filter rainfall through soil layers and store water in an internal reservoir before controlled release.
· Rainwater Harvesting - rainwater storage tanks were installed to capture roof runoff and reduce pressure on drainage systems. Each tank stores approximately 276 litres of rainwater, providing temporary attenuation during heavy rainfall events.
· Surface Water Channel Drainage - surface water channel drainage systems were installed to intercept runoff from playgrounds, footpaths and hard standing areas.
These systems collect and convey surface water efficiently, reduce ponding across hard surfaces, and comply with drainage standards. Benefits that come from these systems include reduced peak surface water flows, natural filtration of runoff, and improved biodiversity and green infrastructure.
The planters also provide a learning opportunity for the schools, enabling the children to plant fruit, flowers or vegetables.
Watertight delivered the programme through a structured approach:
Site inspections and flood risk assessment
Drainage design and SuDS options appraisal
Stakeholder engagement with schools and the local authority
Installation and commissioning of drainage systems.
Overall, the ten schools now have:
· 3,500 pupils benefiting from a programme of PFR
· 40+ SuDS interventions installed
· 4,000+ litres of rainwater storage potential
· 100m+ surface water drainage infrastructure installed.
The programme delivered measurable improvements across the school estate including reduced surface water flood risk, increased drainage capacity, reduced runoff entering sewer systems, improved climate resilience of education infrastructure and increased awareness of sustainable water management.
This project demonstrates Watertight’s ability to deliver multi-site flood resilience programmes across operational school estates, combining flood risk assessment, SuDS design, engineered drainage infrastructure, and programme-level delivery.
Nigel Hill, Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council:
“We have worked with Watertight on flood resilience projects for both homes and, more recently, on improvements across ten schools. The schools programme brings together sustainable drainage measures to manage surface water on site and reduce pressure on drainage networks, alongside property flood resilience measures where needed. It’s a broad programme, and the team have coordinated the work with schools and kept us informed throughout.
“Our earlier work in Loftus involved historic properties in a conservation area, which brought its own planning and design challenges. Watertight handled those requirements and paid attention to the details during installation, including work beyond the original specification where it helped to achieve a better finish.
“Across both programmes, Watertight’s technical knowledge and project management have been valuable in getting the work delivered.”
Mark Arrowsmith, Commercial Director, Watertight International:
“By working closely with the council and each school, we have delivered practical flood resilience measures tailored to local needs. The programme provides stronger resistance today while helping school communities prepare for the challenges of tomorrow.”
