Hopwood Park was a new-build motorway service area on the M42. The local water authority required an alternative to traditional drainage methods to reduce the amount of water to the outfall in a local stream. A scheme was developed using natural water filtration, attenuation, and percolation methods.
Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDs) provide a range of opportunities for habitat creation and in particular wetland habitats. Features of the scheme at Hopwood Park include ponds, swales (shallow grassed channels to carry temporary surface water flows) and reed beds. The landscape design acts to complement the SUDs features and includes wildflower mixes, tree planting, and aquatic plants.