Flood re-leaf scheme gets budding in Barrow

06 November 2009

One of Barrow's most well-known civic spaces is set for a green makeover.

Ramsden Square is to be re-planted with trees, shrubs and greenery following a major flood relief project by water company United Utilities.

The £50,000 planting scheme marks the end of a mammoth two-year project to upgrade Barrow's sewer network.

Since January 2007, sewer engineers have upgraded hundreds of metres of existing sewers and tunnelled a 500m relief sewer under Abbey Road.

One of the most impressive feats of the project was in Ramsden Square itself, where engineers excavated a huge 30m deep storm water tank. The tank will help prevent flooding by storing excess rainwater during intense downpours.

United Utilities project manager Andrew Parker said Ramsden Square showed little evidence today of the massive construction work.

"Visitors to Ramsden Square today would probably have little idea of a vast tank under their feet. Most of the area has been re-built with all the hard-landscaping, railings and street furniture back to normal. We have had to wait until the planting season now to re-stock the beds and turfed areas. Once that's done the whole square will be fit to re-bloom next spring," he said.

The scheme will include new turf, shrubs and trees. There will be oaks and also a high proportion of evergreen plants to maintain year-round interest. Lower-growing plants will include lavender and ornamental grasses.

The project is expected to start in the next couple of weeks and should be complete by early December.

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