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Writer's pictureBridgette Macilwaine

Sustainable drainage guides

Sustainable drainage systems should be used to maximise the opportunities and benefits to flood mitigation, biodiversity and place making as relates to surface water management.

It was a pleasure to work on the team at Illman Young Design for the revised Sustainable Drainage Manual for CIRIA, which was specifically designed to assist those constructing, managing or inspecting SuDS construction on site.


Illman Young were both project lead and lead author of the SuDS Construction guidance for CIRIA (C768), and also members of the Steering Group, providing comments and input from a Landscape Architectural perspective on all other chapters of the manual as they evolved through their various drafts.



This publication covers the planning, design, construction and maintenance of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) to assist with their effective implementation within both new and existing developments. It looks at how to maximise amenity and biodiversity benefits, and deliver the key objectives of managing flood risk and water quality.


There's also supporting information covering topics such as materials, landscape design, maintenance, community engagement and costs and benefits.


The guidance provides the framework for designing SuDS with confidence and to maximise benefits. Its contents are relevant for a wide-range of professions and roles and it highlights that through engagement and collaboration SuDS can be integrated into the design of urban areas, to create high quality places for future generations.


Illman Young played a key role in the development of the revised CIRIA C697 document – the new SuDS Manual (C753). CIRIA - known for raising professional standards through collaboration, sharing knowledge and promoting good practice. 


The document provides easily accessible information about all aspects of SuDS construction, and has been particularly designed to enable the information specific to each SuDS component to be downloaded as an individual section.


Photographs of actual site works have been used wherever possible to illustrate both good practice and what can go wrong. Case studies help demonstrate how problems have arisen on site, and then been overcome.



Watch this useful video created by Susdrain.

More information on SuDS can be found on the Susdrain website - with regards to delivery, resources and case studies.


  • Read more on the Ciria SuDS guide document here.

  • Susdrain has a valuable online resource of case studies with details, images and guidance, see more of these on their website here.

  • A successful and simple example of a rain garden in London from Susdrain and Ciria for the Heron Court.



 

Thanks for reading, any questions, we would love to hear from you!


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