Sustainable drainage

With the enactment of the government's Sustainable Urban Drainage Guidance on 6 April 2015, the council as the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) was designated as a statutory consultee for major planning applications.

As part of the duties, we developed our own local guidance document for use in planning matters and scheme design, which was approved by our cabinet on 27 May 2020 after public consultation in 2019 and 2020.

What are SuDS? 

SuDS stands for Sustainable urban Drainage Systems. SuDS are a sustainable management approach to surface water, where water is drained more naturally than traditional methods. SuDS provide an opportunity to address continuing pressures on the environment, by reducing the causes and impacts of flooding, removal of pollutants etc. In some circumstances the word 'urban' is not applicable as sustainable drainage can be applied in rural environments too.

Who is this information for? 

This information is aimed at applicants and developers for planning applications. The applicant is advised to ensure any drainage design meets the council guidance to avoid delays or objections. Without the required information, we as the LLFA will be unable to make any valid comments to an application.

How do I get access to the council's guidance?

The guidance is available in the links provided below. The files include the main guidance document, which contains the local standards for the borough, along with a separate checklist for developers, which is to be submitted with each planning application.