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Managing flood risk in development and building works
Find out how we manage flood risk in the borough, including protecting structures or features that play a role in reducing flood risk and promoting sustainable drainage such as ponds and green roofs.
Sustainable urban drainage
Sustainable drainage aims to mimic natural processes. Examples of sustainable drainage are:
- ponds
- green roofs
- soakaways
- swales
Sustainable drainage puts as much water as possible back into the ground to:
- help maintain healthy aquifers
- decrease the risk of flooding and drought
- improve water quality
Sustainable drainage approval body
As the Lead Local Flood Authority we assess drainage plans for new developments and redevelopments where they are major planning applications. Developers are not allowed to start work on drains until we have given approval. (This role was previously held by the Environment Agency.)
As the Lead Local Flood Authority we became statutory consultee on major planning applications which had surface water implications from 15 April 2015. This has superseded the Sustainable drainage Approving Body (SAB) duty originally included in the Flood and Water Management Act (2010) but had never been enacted.
Read more about assessing drainage on major applications and how to complete the drainage assessment form.