sustainable drainage

Green roofs have become increasingly popular in the last decade, and in some cases, a mandatory requirement; providing an eco-friendly solution for enhancing building functionality and sustainability. But there isn’t a one-size-fits-all.

One of the greatest modern challenges for housing developers is the sustainable management of surface water runoff, with more than 3.2 million properties at risk of flooding in England1.

The social and economic costs of flooding are high, and the Association of British Insurers believes that annual losses could reach £1.4 billion by 2040 – much of which is attributed to urban flooding. The surface water management action plan, standardised by Local Government, outlines key principles for residential designers and developers to comply with, to ensure sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) are
in place.

The trade body Interpave calls on housing providers to take the lead in developing wider use of sustainable drainage (SuDS) and concrete block permeable paving on developments, in line with national planning policy.

Some 20 months ago, the Government chose to abandon dedicated requirements for SuDS on new developments using the 2010 Flood and Water Management Act. Instead, an additional policy now sits alongside the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), spelling out “the Government’s expectation … that sustainable drainage systems will be provided in new developments wherever this is appropriate”.