Enabling development

As sustainable drainage is encouraged through national planning policy, schemes with SuDS can enable development and the granting of planning permission. Government and regulators also expect SuDS to be incorporated into new major developments.

SuDS can also provide savings on the overall construction and maintenance costs of drainage schemes. The SuDS scheme at Lamb Drove, Cambourne in Cambridgeshire gave a 10% saving on capital costs (compared to traditional drainage). This savingcould have also increased with effective pre-application discussions click here for the Lamb Drove case study. The use of SuDS and subsequent improved visual attractiveness has been proven to increase house values by 10% to 20%.

By reducing the volume and flows of surface water runoff entering into the drainage/sewerage system, SuDS can help to create more ‘headroom’ or capacity in the drainage network of a catchment. This can allow land that would otherwise be unavailable for development (due to lack of drainage capacity say in a combined sewer system or flood risk) to become ‘unlocked’.
Enabling development pathway