University of Southampton Foul and Surface Water Drainage Strategy
Location: Southampton
Client: University of Southampton
Architect: N/A
Value: £100m
The University of Southampton commissioned SFK to manage a campus-wide drainage project to support the next phase of its 10-year Development Plan and wider Capital Works Programme.
The objective was to create a robust foul and surface water strategy for the Highfield Campus that would enable future development to proceed without undue risk in terms of planning, discharge consents or hydraulic performance. The campus has evolved over more than a century, with a mixture of historic and modern buildings connected to a complex drainage network split by University Road and discharging into both private and public systems.
The drainage network was fragmented, only partially surveyed and in places based on combined foul and surface water systems, particularly on the older eastern side of the campus. Private drainage condition was variable, with known issues such as siltation, root ingress and ageing pipework. Historic flooding incidents had occurred, mainly due to blockages, and the absence of a campus-wide strategy meant that drainage was being considered on a project-by-project basis. At the same time, Southern Water was repeatedly advising that no further foul capacity was available in the Public Sewer network, while Southampton City Council was requiring greenfield runoff rates and significant attenuation for new development. These positions posed a material risk to future planning approvals and the delivery of the University’s emerging capital projects.
The project established a framework for moving from ad hoc drainage responses to a strategic, campus-wide approach that would support long-term development.
By combining surveys, hydraulic analysis and stakeholder negotiation, the strategy provides a clear understanding of existing capacity and condition, identifies risks to both operation and growth, and sets agreed parameters for future development proposals. The result is a drainage strategy that reduces planning and infrastructure risk, improves confidence in future capital delivery, and gives the University a more resilient basis for managing foul and surface water across the Highfield Campus.
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