Mottistone Sewage Treatment and Drainage Strategy
Location: Mottistone, Isle of Wight
Client: National Trust
Architect: N/A
Value: £0.5m
SFK Consulting was appointed by the National Trust to assess the foul and surface water drainage systems serving Mottistone Manor and several surrounding estate properties within the village.
The study reviewed the performance of the existing drainage network, sewage treatment plant and drainage field, while also considering future visitor growth, estate operations and environmental constraints. The project sits within a highly sensitive rural setting on the Isle of Wight, close to designated landscapes, listed buildings and vulnerable groundwater conditions.
The existing sewage treatment plant, originally installed in the late 1990s, was found to be operating at or beyond capacity during peak periods and was no longer aligned with current regulations or design standards. Parts of the foul network also received surface water connections, reducing treatment efficiency and increasing flood and pollution risk. The drainage field was undersized by modern standards, while percolation and geological conditions varied significantly across the site. Any solution also needed to respond to heritage, ecology, landscape, geology and flood risk constraints, while supporting the National Trust’s long-term plans for the estate and its visitor facilities.
The project established a clear strategy for upgrading Mottistone’s drainage infrastructure to modern standards while supporting the National Trust’s future use of the estate.
The recommendations provide a pathway to reduce pollution risk, improve treatment performance, manage surface water more effectively and create a more resilient and compliant drainage system for both current and future demands. The proposed scheme also demonstrates how essential infrastructure improvements can be achieved within a sensitive heritage and landscape setting with minimal long-term visual impact.
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