Sustainable urban drainage systems

What are sustainable drainage systems?

Sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) are a natural approach to managing drainage in and around development and have been part of flood risk policy in the United Kingdom for some time.

SUDS work by slowing and holding back the water that runs off from a site, allowing natural processes to break down pollutants. SUDS aim to replicate natural systems in a cost effective way, with a low environmental

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

TAKE A FREE TRIAL

Latest Planning News

MHCLG announces new measures in upcoming Planning and Infrastructure Bill

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced a series of measures set to be introduced in the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, which will be presented to Parliament this week. The Bill aims to reform grid connections processes by replacing the current ‘first come, first served’ process with a ‘first ready, first connected’ system, potentially reducing grid connection waiting times by up to seven years. This reform will expedite planning decisions for clean energy projects, such as onshore and offshore wind, solar power, electricity grids, hydrogen, carbon capture, and nuclear power stations.

MHCLG announces plans to reform statutory consultee system

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has announced plans to reform the statutory consultee system. A consultation is scheduled for spring 2025, which will propose the removal of Sport England, Theatres Trust, and the Gardens Trust as statutory consultees in planning decisions, while narrowing the scope of others to focus on heritage, safety, and environmental protection. MHCLG aims to review the type and range of applications that require statutory consultee input, considering whether some could be removed or addressed through alternative engagement means and expert advice. Additional proposals include establishing a new performance framework, requiring chief executives of key statutory consultees to report directly to HM Treasury and MHCLG ministers on their performance, and mandating local authorities to consult statutory consultees only when necessary, with a 21 day statutory deadline for decisions, unless there is insufficient information to make a decision or more detailed advice could facilitate approval.

PINS publishes resource page on public rights of way and common land

The Planning Inspectorate (PINS) has published a resource page, comprising a collection of existing information on the public rights of way and common land areas it deals with, along with associated guidance.

Approach to siting new nuclear power stations beyond 2025

Planning analysis: On 6 February 2025 the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero launched a consultation on a new draft national policy statement (NPS) for nuclear energy generation (EN-7). The government intends for the new policy to be formally designated in 2025. Once designated it will provide (alongside the Overarching NPS for Energy (EN-1)), the primary policy for decisions taken by the Secretary of State on applications for development consent relating to infrastructure using nuclear fission to generate energy. At the same time as launching a consultation on the draft of EN-7, the government also published its response to the consultation on a proposed approach to siting new nuclear power stations beyond 2025 which ran from January to March 2024. This article discusses the most significant policy innovations which are proposed, what they are intended to achieve and why they have proved so controversial. Written by Alex Minhinick, partner, and Adam Reeves, solicitor at Burges Salmon.