The planner: The administration has launched a long-term water strategy for Northern Ireland, which highlights the need for planning authorities to “prevent inappropriate development in high flood-risk areas and ensure that future development does not increase flood risk”. The strategy, which covers the period up to 2040, also said that planning authorities should encourage measures such as grey water recycling and rainwater harvesting in new developments. The document also recommended that local authorities should consider zoning suitable land in their local development plans for large surface water drainage scheme such as lakes, wetlands and wet woodland in a bid to meet the drainage needs of proposed new development. The strategy made it clear that so-called sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) should be the preferred option for managing surface water in new developments, although the document recognised that long-term maintenance, ownership and liability for SuDS require further consideration. The strategy document can be found here.