Find out what planning advice is available for your building project.
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SUDS) include tried and tested techniques that are already being implemented on a range of projects in England, Wales and elsewhere. They incorporate cost-effective techniques that are applicable to a wide range of schemes from:
- small developments to major residential
- leisure, commercial or industrial operations with large areas of hardstanding and roof.
They can also be successfully retro-fitted to existing developments. Planning Policy Statement 25 for England on Development and Flooding emphasises the role of SUDS and introduces a general presumption that they will be used. SUDS will probably feature increasingly in such guidance documents as they are revised.
As with other key considerations in the planning process (transport, landscape, heritage and nature conservation), incorporating SUDS needs to be considered early in the site evaluation and planning process, as well as at the detailed design stage. The use of Drainage Impact Assessments has been piloted in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire in Scotland.
Many planning authorities will expect planning applications, whether outline or detailed, to demonstrate how a more sustainable approach to drainage is to be incorporated into development proposals, and for detailed design information to be submitted at the appropriate stage. Planning authorities may use planning conditions to secure the implementation of SUDS and some have issued Supplementary Planning Guidance on SUDS.
Building Regulations on Drainage and Waste Disposal have also been modified to introduce a surface water drainage hierarchy, with infiltration on site as the prefered disposal option, followed by discharge to watercourse and then connection to a sewer.
