Lord Krebs, Chairman of the Adaptation Sub-Committee has written to Elizabeth Truss, the Environment Secretary, to express concerns about how the government now intends to encourage the use of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) in new development.

The letter says the revised approach relies on the planning system to encourage SuDS by creating an ‘expectation’ that they will be used in new development.

“My Committee considers this to be a significant weakening of what was recommended by the Pitt Review in 2008 and subsequently endorsed by Parliament in the 2010 Flood and water Management Act.”

The letter says the Committee is particularly concerned that the revised approach excludes minor development – in the Committee’s view it should not be exempt and should instead be a primary focus for encouraging SuDS.

"Deciding who meets the costs of maintenance will remain problematic"

The letter also states:

"Pitt identified the  automatic  right to  connect,  and  uncertainty  regarding  adoption  and maintenance, as two key barriers to the uptake of SuDS.  The revised proposals fail to resolve either of these issues.  As now, adoption and maintenance of SuDS will have to be agreed on a case by case basis.  Deciding who meets the costs of maintenance will remain problematic."

The need for greater use of SuDS was recognised following the extensive flooding in 2007.  55,000 properties were damaged, with as many as two-thirds resulting from drains and sewers being unable to cope with the heavy rainfall.  The independent Pitt Review that followed made a number of recommendations, including to promote widespread use of SuDS.

SuDS features, such as soakaways, ponds and swales, slow down and store rainwater to avoid sewer networks being overwhelmed during storms.  They also deliver a range of other benefits, such as improved local air and water quality, biodiversity, and counteracting the urban heat island effect.  New development otherwise places additional strain on existing drainage and sewerage networks.

The UK Parliament endorsed the Pitt Review’s approach to SuDS in passing the 2010 Flood and Water Management Act.  However, implementation of the SuDS parts of the Act have been repeatedly delayed due to concerns about the impact on housebuilders and the pace of new development. The government has now consulted on a different approach, one that relies on the planning system to promote use of SuDS.

Lord Krebs has also written to Dan Rogerson MP, the floods minister, to provide further advice on flood risk management expenditure following the analysis presented in the ASC’s 2014 Progress Report.