Developers encouraged to reduce pollution and protect communities from flooding

In a move to tackle water pollution and protect communities from flooding, the government is updating the national standards for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) for the first time in a decade.

The new standards – welcomed by the construction industry - will give developers clearer guidance on how to create rainwater management systems that mimic the natural environment and deliver better outcomes.

Suggested features include spaces designed to collect and filter rainwater, which will relieve pressure on our crumbling sewage system and prevent pollution overflowing into our waterways.

Impermeable surfaces such as roads and pavements increase the risk of flooding in heavy downpours, as the excess water has nowhere to go. By introducing materials designed to soak up water, new developments will be better protected against flooding.

The new standards will also encourage design features like green roofs and soakaways. These provide a place for nature to thrive and improve a building’s energy efficiency –reducing energy bills, bringing mental and physical health benefits to communities by expanding access to nature and supporting wildlife.

Water Minister Emma Hardy said: “The Government will introduce new standards to tackle water pollution, protect communities from flooding and make our new towns beautiful.

“Nature recovery and growth can go hand in hand, and these new standards will enable the sustainable building of 1.5 million homes as part of the Plan for Change.”

Alastair Chisholm, Director of Policy at the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) said: “The Government’s decision to publish new, robust standards for how sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) should be delivered in all new developments is a long-overdue breakthrough that should help tackle England’s growing flood and pollution crisis. SuDS are a common sense, nature-based solution that mimic natural drainage to reduce surface water flooding, relieve pressure on overloaded sewers, cut storm overflows, and support biodiversity in our urban spaces.

“But without a mandatory, rules-based delivery model, this progress risks being more cosmetic than transformative.

“The new National Standards for SuDS are a major upgrade, offering developers and planners clear guidance to design multifunctional systems that manage flood risk, improve water quality, and make towns and cities more climate resilient in the face of mounting pollution and climate crisis. However, relying on the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which only suggests SuDS "should" be used, is simply not strong enough. That kind of ambiguity has already led to years of poor implementation, developer pushback, and delays to development because of planning appeals.

“The Government must now choose how SuDS are delivered and maintained – and fast. Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 provides a solid route that has been in stasis for 15 years now.

“But if Government isn’t willing to take this legislation forward, expert body CIWEM believes there is also a credible third way: mirroring existing highway infrastructure approval and harnessing water company drainage maintenance funding that developers and local authorities are already familiar with.

“This – or Schedule 3 – would give SuDS the enforcement teeth and long-term oversight they urgently need, ensuring they are built to standard and maintained in the long term, but without the need to set up entirely new approval bodies and processes.

“We welcome the direction of travel – but now is the time to finish the job. If Government wants to build flood-resilient homes and infrastructure fit for the future (which it must), it must back SuDS not just in principle, but in practice.”

Key features of the new standards include:

• Reducing flood risk by actively managing surface water on site
• Improving water quality before it enters rivers and streams
• Provide community benefits by creating more attractive and resilient places to live and work
• Prioritising solutions that enhance biodiversity and green space
• Encouraging water efficiency, by enabling the reuse of rainwater through harvesting and collection systems
• Emphasising long-term maintenance and performance

To support the government’s Plan for Change, the updated standards are aligned with the National Planning Policy Framework and will complement wider planning reforms which will take place later this year. Developers are encouraged to innovate and demonstrate how their systems meet the outcomes, rather than follow a one-size-fits-all checklist.