Chorlton locals have been getting well and truly fed up with their local park flooding every winter, so one committed community group has decided to do something about it.
Heavy downpours used to leave footpaths in Chorlton Park underwater, forcing families and children to walk along busy roads to get to the local primary school and playground that sit within the parkland.
The sponge meadow from the sky, before the basin filled with rainwater. Photo credit: Dylan Fisher
This flooding has been occurring for a long time, with one local saying it’s been happening for over 30 years. And as the UK’s changing climate shifts towards longer, wetter winters, the flooding in Chorlton Park was getting worse.
That’s when the Friends of Chorlton Park community group stepped up. They felt that the floods were causing a loss of connection between residents and this important urban green space (not to mention lots of soggy socks!).
Winter sunset reflected in the flooded basin. Photo credit: Friends of Chorlton Park
The answer? To create a “sponge meadow”: a seasonally adaptable habitat that works with nature, not against it, to collect excess water and help it gradually soak into the ground.
The group used money from Greater Manchester’s Green Spaces Fund to re-landscape part of the field in 2025, digging out a 50-metre shallow basin that can hold lots of rainwater.
The basin fills up when it rains and the water gets slowly reabsorbed back into the ground, rather than spilling out over pathways.
Before & After - Chorlton Park Sponge Meadow
This sponge meadow is a great example of a 'Sustainable Urban Drainage System’, also known as a SUDS, which is a natural approach to managing rainwater drainage in urban areas. Because SUDS help to slow the flow of water from extensive rainfall, they are an effective way to help reduce flood risks in built-up areas.
Native trees, shrubs and wildflowers have also been planted in the park, and around 150 people, including local school children, came together to get involved with the planting. They sowed a variety of seeds, including tufted vetch, common knapweed and yellow rattle.
Julia Wickett from Friends of Chorlton Park said, “These plants and flowers are not only lovely for us to look at, but will also help bees, butterflies, and other pollinators and wildlife to thrive in our park.”
Community seed sowing, March 2025. Photo credit: Friends of Chorlton Park
So, is the sponge meadow doing its job? It’s early days, but the signs are looking good so far.
Despite heavy rain all winter, the footpaths have not flooded since work was completed. Previously, the park has flooded at least once a year, but this year the basin has filled up, with significant capacity remaining, and the paths have remained dry.
Local people seem very happy with this new addition to their park. One parent said, “My children are consistently drawn to it as an area in which to play and explore... it is now an unofficial extension to the playground that it borders. When the water turned to ice earlier this year, it was wonderful to see just how many children were running wild here. It really seemed to capture their imaginations.”
Another resident added, “The sponge meadow has been a game changer. No more giant puddles to wade through, no more soggy feet, and it’s made for a much more interesting piece of parkland.”
The Greater Manchester Green Spaces Fund provides grants between £2,000 - £40,000 to community groups who want to increase the amount of accessible, nature-rich green space where people need it most. The 2026 round of the Green Spaces Fund is opening for applications on 18th May 2026.
Visit www.gmet.org.uk/green-spaces-fund for more information.
