Merton Council and 15 other local authorities across England have worked with Robert Bray Associates and McCloy Consulting to produce Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). The SPD set out approaches to the design and evaluation of SuDS with easy to understand and practical information for all those involved with the development process.
SuDS provide a way of managing rainwater by mimicking natural drainage and are a requirement for all new major developments. To ensure successful and affordable Sustainable Drainage Systems, they should be fully integrated from the start of the design process along with other aspects of development design.
The SPD is for developers, architects, landscape architects or anyone who plans to build or redevelop (both residential and commercial) in Merton. It creates a shared vision of SuDS for all involved in the development process, enabling design and evaluation to meet agreed standards and ensuring that SuDS are maintainable now and in the future.
The SPD follows the design process from concept, through outline, to detailed design and provides the reader with an easy to follow, step by step, process. The SPD is in conformity with statutory requirements such as the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF); as well as CIRIA's 2015 SuDS Manual and other recognised guidance.
The SPD will not be introducing a new local plan policy but will provide further guidance to Merton’s Local Plan policy DM F2 Sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) and; wastewater and water infrastructure. Thus the guidance will assist the planning officers as part of the decision making process.