Union Street is undergoing a major transformation to create a safer, healthier, and more welcoming space for everyone who lives, works, and visits the area. The redevelopment is part of Dundee’s wider ambition to modernise its streets and prepare the city for a changing climate. Improvements include enhanced walking and wheeling routes, upgraded public spaces, and thoughtful street design created through extensive community co‑design.
A key part of this renewal is improving how rainwater is managed on and around Union Street. Across Dundee, heavier and more frequent rainfall is placing pressure on traditional combined sewers, which carry both wastewater and surface water. As part of the citywide Water Resilient Dundee initiative, new drainage strategies aim to reduce surface water entering the combined sewer system.
For Union Street, this means designing systems that capture, slow, and manage rainfall above ground—rather than sending it directly into the combined sewer network. These “blue‑green” features help reduce flood risk, improve local drainage, and free up capacity in the sewer system for essential wastewater flows.
Such approaches are central to the city’s long‑term strategy for lowering the likelihood of sewer flooding, reducing pollution from overflow events, and supporting a more climate‑resilient urban environment.
By disconnecting rainwater from the combined sewer, the redevelopment contributes to a cleaner River Tay, supports Dundee’s climate‑adaptation goals, and helps future‑proof the city for generations to come. The improvements at Union Street form part of the growing network of sustainable drainage interventions being delivered across Dundee to create greener, more resilient neighbourhoods.