A major regeneration project in the heart of Dundee is reimagining how urban spaces handle rainfall, moving away from traditional underground piping toward sustainable "blue-green" infrastructure. The redevelopment of Union Street is a central component of the city's wider modernisation plans, focusing on creating a climate-resilient environment through community co-design and advanced engineering.

As part of the Water Resilient Dundee partnership, Scottish Water and Dundee City Council are implementing systems designed to manage rainwater where it falls. By capturing and slowing surface water above ground, the project mimics natural processes, preventing the city's combined sewer systems from becoming overwhelmed during the increasingly frequent heavy rainfall events seen across Scotland.

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Dom McBennett, Scottish Water Catchment Planner, explained the shift in strategy: "The aim is simple but powerful: reduce the amount of rainwater entering combined sewers and manage it more naturally at the surface. By managing surface water in this way, we can significantly reduce flood risk, improve local drainage and free up vital capacity in the sewer network."

The environmental benefits extend to the local ecosystem; by disconnecting rainwater from the sewer system, the project reduces the frequency of overflow events, directly protecting the water quality of the River Tay.

Councillor Steven Rome, Convener of City Growth and Infrastructure, added: "The transformation of Union Street is an important step in the journey to improve the city centre to attract Dundonians and day visitors alike. This project also represents a great opportunity to install new drainage systems which will help to future-proof that area against the impact of climate change going forward."

The Union Street initiative is part of a growing network of sustainable drainage projects across Dundee, serving as a blueprint for how thoughtful street design can deliver long-term environmental protection and urban resilience.