A heads up for our clients… A new version of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) has been released today.
The main headline is that lower quality ‘grey belt’ land has been defined in national planning policy for the first time with tough new ‘golden rules’ on development to guarantee affordable housing, local services and green spaces.
However, one of the biggest changes that isn’t hitting the headlines yet, is the new wording around Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS).
The wording in the previous NPPF stated major developments should incorporate SuDS unless there is clear evidence it would be inappropriate, and that the systems used should, where possible, provide multifunctional benefits.
The new wording simply states that applications which could affect drainage on or around the site should incorporate SuDS, meaning both major and minor developments will be required to incorporate SuDS which are proportionate to the nature and scale of the development.
The wording also specifically mentions water quality, biodiversity, and amenity, 3 of the 4 SuDS pillars which are generally not prioritised as much as the 4th, water quantity.
Here’s the key part… even though Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 has not been enacted for England, which would make SuDS compulsory on every development and would set up SuDS Approval Bodies, among other things, this change in the wording of the NPPF effectively implements compulsory SuDS on all developments and the Local Planning Authorities and Lead Local Flood Authorities will be all over this.
Hence, to help our Client's expectations for new developments = allow for SuDS from concept of the site because Planning will require it.
Extract from new NPPF...