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Sustainable drainage systems in planning applications

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Sustainable drainage systems in planning applications

Adoption of revised local area requirements

We adopted revised local area requirements in July 2018 and are currently in the process of updating this guidance page. Check the list of Local Area Requirements July 2018 for the most up to date information before submitting your application.

Flooding

Camden Local Plan defines areas at risk of flooding, these are:

Both Local Flood Risk Zones and previously flooded streets are shown on Map 6 in the Local Plan. The previously flooded streets list has been updated since a flood event in 2021.

You must submit a site specific flood risk assessments with:

  • applications for sites of 1 hectare or more;
  • major planning applications in areas at risk of flooding;
  • all basement development on streets identified as being at flood risk, or in an area where historic underground watercourses are known to have been present, or in areas where there is an elevated risk of groundwater flooding.

The Council will not permit basement schemes which include habitable rooms and other sensitive uses for self-contained basement flats and other underground structures in areas prone to flooding.

Local Flood Risk Zones (Local Plan, map 6); and
Sustainable Drainage

Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) are needed for all major planning applications, unless shown not be appropriate. This requirement is set out under the Ministerial Statement by the Secretary of State on 18 December 2014.

What are the requirements?

A sustainable drainage system is designed to:

  • reduce surface water run-off rates and volumes
  • improve water quality
  • increase biodiversity where they can be provided at surface level.

We require major developments to achieve greenfield run-off rates. Where it is reasonably practical they should constrain run-off volumes to greenfield run-off volumes. This is for the one in 100 year six-hour event. Greenfield run-off is the rate that water flows over land which has not been previously developed.

To show your major development complies with Camden and National Planning Policy, you should follow the advice note below. You should submit the drainage pro forma below at the time of validation:

Development should follow the drainage hierarchy in policy 5.13 of the London Plan below:

  • store rainwater for later use
  • use infiltration techniques, such as porous surfaces in non-clay areas
  • reduce the force of rainwater in ponds or open water features for gradual release
  • reduce the force of rainwater by storing in tanks or sealed water features for gradual release
  • discharge rainwater direct to a watercourse
  • discharge rainwater to a surface water sewer/drain
  • discharge rainwater to the combined sewer

Camden flood risk and sustainable drainage

Requested for submission alongside most planning applications in areas at risk of flooding and all major schemes. Consult Camden policy guidance and the Camden pro-forma to check if it applies to your scheme.

Advice and evidence

Before an application is made applicants are advised to follow National Planning Practice Guidance and Non-Statutory Technical Standards. You should refer to Camden's Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) 2014 (section 7, Sustainable Drainage Systems):

The Council’s approach to water is set out in Core Policy CS13 and Development Policy DP23 of it's planning policies. Further advice on SuDS is provided in Camden Planning Guidance