This week, the WSBF held their second evdience session to support their forthcoming Bricks and Water 2 inquiry.  The roundtable was Chaired by Conservative Peer, Baroness McIntosh of Pickering and the discussion included planning policy, SuDS design and options for adoption.

Speakers included Abby Crisostomo from the SuDS and Water Reuse Policy Leadership Group, Dr Sim Reaney from Durham University, and Sue Illman from Illman Young Landscape Design.

Following this discussion, the WSBF have made the following recommendations, which will be incorporated into Bricks and Water 2.

• The Government should end the automatic right to connect new developments to public sewers.  This was recommended within the Pitt Review, which is now more than ten years old.

• SuDS should be considered at all scales, including at the catchment, development, and property level.  From reducing compaction and increasing the organic matter of soils at the catchment scale, to homeowner action such as introducing rain gardens, there is action that can be taken at every level.

• The mandatory use of SuDS should replace the existing drainage hierarchy within Building Regulations and the scope of the Future Homes Standard should be broadened to include water and drainage.

• Non-Statutory Technical Standards for SuDS – currently under review by DEFRA should incorporate the multi-functional benefits of SuDS as set out within the SuDS Manual.  This would give Local Planning Authorities the confidence to specify high-quality SuDS within their Local Plans and enforce associated planning policies through building control.

A full summary of the discussion is available to download via the link on this page.