SuDS ROUTE MAPS - Surface Water Management Measures
SuDS can also play a part in mitigating the requirements for future
infrastructure improvements (e.g. reducing the quantity of surface water
entering public drainage networks, hence reducing the risk of foul water
flooding to homes and property and removing, or reducing, the need for
drainage network capacity enhancements).
Delivering Great SuDS
In order to gain all the benefits that SuDS provide, SuDS design must be
considered at the very start of the feasibility stages of a project and must
also be factored in prior to land purchase. If SuDS are integrated into the
vision and layout for the development, they will provide many opportunities
to add value, character and desirability to a development. If the layout
of a proposed SuDS scheme can be agreed at the conceptual master
planning stage, then iterative design processes can exploit opportunities
and overcome constraints by refining the design to make the best use of
available space within a development to deliver a high quality integrated
water management solution.
Good outcomes are underpinned by due consideration to the layout,
function and land-take from the outset, to avoid designers having to
effectively squeeze and retrofit lesser quality measures into the drainage
design. Section 7.1 of the CIRIA C753 SuDS Manual describes the benefits of
considering SuDS from the outset.
SuDS Development in Northern Ireland
Owing to significant differences in approach compared to the rest of the
UK it has not been possible to comprehensively include Northern Ireland
within the graphic route maps contained within this document.
The NI planning system is legally and functionally separate from the rest
of the UK. The strategic policy framework for SuDS is provided by
the Regional Development Strategy 2035 (RDS)
Regional planning policy within the Strategic Planning Policy
Statement (SPPS)
New legislation (The Water and Sewerage Services Act (Northern Ireland)
2016) places a statutory duty on developers to demonstrate that they
have considered SuDS before requesting a connection to the public
drainage network.
To connect to the public sewer network, developers must also engage
with NI Water and enter into an Article 161 agreement to have their
infrastructure (potentially including SuDS Systems) adopted by NI Water
provided that it conforms to their adoption standards.
Guidance for the construction of sewers is in Sewers for Adoption
(1st Edition). An update is planned for 2018.
NI Water offers a Pre Development Enquiry service prior to submitting
a formal application.
Developers may also be required to undertake a Drainage Assessment
(DA) or Flood Risk Assessment (FRA) and should engage with Department
for Infrastructure (Rivers) early in the process to discuss before any
application for a 'Consent to Discharge' to a watercourse.
As in the rest of the UK, it is recommended that developers contact
the relevant planning authority and/or drainage authority early in the
planning application process to allow for the discussion on the inclusion
of SuDS early in the design of the scheme.
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