Lenin Terrace Green Space Update
Work is continuing on the green space at Lenin Terrace next to Durham Road. We are following up our activities last year with plant identification, soil testing and a general awareness event on June 22nd.
What Have We Done So Far?
During our 2023 community engagement events, members of the public put 383 dots on our ideas map which included a piece of land in South Stanley which was often wet. After research we found council grass cutters often got stuck in this area and it was difficult to maintain. The site is directly above the combined sewer outfall (CSO) which regularly allows raw sewage to be discharged into the river below St Stephen’s Centre. Residents asked for wildflower planting and more trees on the site.
In late 2024 we received permission from the council to introduce some soil mounds (bunds) to the land and add other planting. A few months later staff and volunteers from Wear Rivers Trust installed the bunds to slow surface water through the site. The bunds are designed to keep the water in the centre of the land, away from the gardens and slowly release downhill. At times of heavy rainfall the land will now store water making it very wet underfoot. Positioning of the bunds was based on data from a computer modelling software package. Moisture sensors were installed to measure effectiveness and then the bunds were coated with mud to make them more durable.
You may also have taken part in our resident perception survey earlier this year, which asked local residents what they thought about the green space before and after the soil bunds were put in place. This has provided the SuDS+ team with valuable data that will feed into project reports later this year. The survey will be repeated once the scheme is complete.
From April 2026, council workers adopted a selective grass-cutting approach across the site, allowing some areas of grass to grow longer and creating the ideal conditions for wildflower planting. This management method encourages a wider variety of grass and flower species to thrive, creating valuable habitats for wildlife while bringing an abundance of colour, texture, and seasonal interest to the area. Keeping the grass longer in places also helps lock moisture in during summer droughts conditions, when it would usually look bare and stressed. Why not have a close-up look to see what is growing?
The Plan for Grass Cutting and Planting
The plan below provides a summary of the planting regime which will be in place once the scheme is complete. As mentioned above, the seasonal grass mowing regime is now active so you will notice the green space looking a little different to previous summers.
What Is HAPPENING ON 22nd June 2026?
Volunteers and project staff will be on the Lenin Terrace site Monday June 22nd 10:00-12:00 to:;
Conduct an identification session. Complete a close-up look at the plants already on the site and removing perennial weeds. Knowing what is already there will help us to know which plants can be introduced which will thrive. Plant knowledge isn’t needed to take part in this activity, it is usually easy to spot something different to the usual grasses.
Take readings from the moisture metres buried at the top, middle and bottom of the site and show volunteers and residents the readings. The data shows how moisture in the soil fluctuates with rainfall and what we would look for to indicate the bunds and wildflowers are doing a job to make the land wetter.
Act as a drop-in session for local residents to meet the SuDS+ team, ask questions about what is going on and find out more. Everyone is welcome to come along.
Collect soil samples for a new eNDA test. Samples are sent to a laboratory which can tell us about the plant and animal life which has been in contact over the last few months. This new process is being trialled to see the results it delivers in projects similar to SuDS+
Why not come along?
