They also want some panelling water fed polling and i am concerned about the water falling on to the pavement as well as the fact we are reaching over a footpath.
If the public are being redirected via bollards etc, there's no great problem. There will probably be no more water left on the pavement by the time you've gone, than what's left after a burst of rain.
However, in the winter, carry a bag of rocksalt just in case you need to de-ice if it's frosty. To be really ahead of the pack, get an anemometer (wind meter) to check for windchill.
So far, cos I searched, only rosskesava has ever mentioned an anemometer, but no-one's mentioned a wind meter. That'll be a fiver, thanks.