Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS)

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have taken a view as to who will be responsible for ensuring that new developments will be designed using sustainable drainage principles.

Following consultation, in partnership with the Department for Community and Local Government (DCLG) a decision was taken to incorporate SuDS into the planning application process.

These latest changes are due for implementation on 16th April 2015.

Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) aim to reduce surface water run-off from developments and improve the quality of water leaving a site, mimicking the natural route that rainwater takes.

There are a variety of SuDS techniques available to capture rainfall close to the source, convey it slowly downstream, allow infiltration to the ground where possible and provide attenuation or long-term storage before possibly outfalling at a controlled rate from the site.

Essex County Council as the Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) are to become a Statutory Consultee on all MAJOR APPLICATIONS and the following checklists must be completed and the relevant information submitted with any Major application at the validation stage.

Drainage Checklist for Major Outline Applications [pdf] 45KB

Drainage Checklist for Major Full and Reserved Matters Applications [pdf] 28KB

Applications will be invalid without this information.

Further information can be found on the Essex County Council website where you can find their published SuDS Design and Adoption Guide.

Any further queries please contact SuDS@essex.gov.uk