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Save the date in your diary, there is a new SuDS guidance document in town

Faye Gennard (MEng CEng MICE), Director, Rennard Consulting Limited

Let’s face it we all want our projects to be successful, whether it be designing something ground-breaking, making a profit or meeting a challenging programme. Often, however, as we start to work through a scheme it can sometimes feel like completing an obstacle course, with new constraints and challenges cropping up all over the place. 

 
This can be particularly true of your drainage design. With changes in planning regulations, more complex sites and the effects of climate change becoming more prevalent, it is becoming increasingly important to build an early picture of the opportunities and constraints that could be present on your site. 

 
Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS), can help you solve some of the problems your site faces as well as enable you to unlock your development, giving your project the greatest chance of success.

 
But what should you be looking out for? Who should you be speaking too? And just how early is early when it comes to thinking about SuDS? 

 
Well to help with this, CIRIA, in collaboration with some of the UK’s leading experts across the SuDS sector (and me), are launching new guide and animation as part of their ‘Setting up SuDS for Success Project’. 

 
It’s aimed at all stakeholders involved in the early stages of a project, regardless of the type of development they are involved in, but will be of particular interest to Land Agents, Planners and those involved in the technical delivery of SuDS.

 
So, what does it include? 
This document gets rid of the jargon, providing you with a simple and concise breakdown of the following key topics, relating to the successful implementation of SuDS: 

  • An overview of good practice and legislation that our UK SuDS schemes should currently be following. 
  • Guidance on how to maximise the benefits of SuDS systems on your next project. 
  • A summary of the information you need to know about your site at each of the key project gateways, who you should have as part of your team and key collaborative partners that you should be speaking to. 
  • A myth busting section, explaining why some of the perceived challenges around SuDS are rarely prohibitive and are generally much easier to overcome when considered early in your scheme. 
  • Case Studies, bringing real life examples of how early consideration of SuDS has been successfully achieved within recent projects. 

 
Sounds good so far, but why should you read it? 
Well, firstly, if your involved in the technical delivery of SuDS schemes and have ever found yourself banging your head against your desk over the missed opportunities for the inclusion of SuDS on your projects, this document will provide a great resource to help you really get the discussion going with your clients around why early consideration is so important. 

 
Secondly, there is still a massive knowledge gap when it comes to the successful delivery of SuDS, and while this document won’t give you a detailed breakdown of how to design a raingarden (there are other CIRIA documents for that) it will give you the knowledge to get your project off to the best possible start. 

 
Finally, it is important to remember, that a successful SuDS scheme is not delivered by a single person or sector, as some of the most magical schemes are often developed using a collaborative approach. By having an understanding of the key people you need involved in your project (and when you need their input), you can assemble your A-Team and maximise the benefits that good SuDS design can bring. 

 
So, save the date: 30 September 2025, and join us for the launch of this amazing guidance and animation, so you can find out how SuDS can unlock your next development.