The UK Government has officially released the long-awaited National Standards for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), following years of advocacy from CIWEM and other stakeholders.
This marks a major step toward improved surface water management across England – supporting climate resilience, reducing flood risk, and enhancing environmental outcomes.
Key Objectives of the New Standards:
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Improved integration of SuDS into the design of new developments
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Focus on long-term system performance, maintenance, and adoption
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Support for multi-functional SuDS delivering biodiversity and amenity benefits
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Stronger alignment with planning policy and environmental goals
Encouragingly, the standards reflect many of the recommendations previously made to DEFRA and represent a coordinated move toward more sustainable and future-ready infrastructure.
You can read the full publication here:
👉 https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-standards-for-sustainable-drainage-systems-suds
If you’d like advice on how these changes may impact your project or drainage strategy, please get in touch with our team at info@mccloyconsulting.com
