This blog is taken from the SusDrains Newsletter to sign up for this go to: http://www.susdrain.org/
A number of years waiting in the wings, the SuDS Standards finally made centre stage, but perhaps now not in the manner that many of us had anticipated. The release of the ministerial statement and updates to national planning policy requires all major schemes to incorporate SuDS; the announcement of changes enshrined in the wording “the current requirement in national policy is that all new developments in areas at risk of flooding should give priority to the use of sustainable drainage systems will continue to apply.”
In delivering SuDS there is a requirement to meet the framework set out by the ‘non-statutory’ technical standards. The use of the phrase “non-statutory” in naming the Standards has caused both confusion and consternation in some quarters. Many have taken the standards to be guidance only and therefore carry no weight. However, I have been reliably informed that the naming of the document was given significant consideration; and the use of non-statutory route was chosen to allow for future changes without enactment through parliament. There is still a very real requirement for Local Planning Authorities (LPAs) and ultimately the Planning Inspectorate to give full weight to the standards when making decision on planning applications.
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