What is a Sustainable Drainage Report?

Sustainable Drainage Reports are for setting out drainage principles with the aim of disposing of surface water in a sustainable manner. They are used to support planning permission and are quickly becoming an integral part of planning submissions in an attempt to create more sustainable new developments. By providing an efficient report, you are more likely to meet your local authority requirements, therefore increasing the likelihood of your application being approved.

Why use Sustainable Drainage Systems?

Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) help to manage peak runoff after rainfall with the purpose of preventing flooding. They work by mimicking natural drainage on undeveloped land. For land that has no development, the surface water would usually be absorbed into the soil. However, this is not always possible on developed land which is why SuDS are put in place.

Choose the right report for you

We want to help you decide on the best Sustainable Drainage Report that can directly meet your needs. At GeoSmart, we offer three report types; SuDSmart, SuDSmart Plus and SuDSmart Pro. Find out more about the difference between these reports in our feature comparison below.

* pricing based on site size, location & complexity
Features includedSuDSmart
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SuDSmart Plus
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SuDSmart Pro
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Drainage Consultants’ professional opinion
£5 million PI insurance
Fast delivery time (working days)**5-1010-1510-15 from date of Site walkover
Data pack, including: infiltration potential, flood risks, topography, surface water features and sewers
SuDS suitability evaluation
Supports Architects, Developers, Planning Consultant and the Legal Market
Expert drainage consultant support
Run off volumes and storage requirements
Expert help to discharge planning conditions
Professional opinion backed by £5 million PI
Review of planning conditions
SuDS strategy and schematic drainage layout
Management and maintenance recommendations
Site Visit

** Expedited turnarounds are available on request

Frequently Asked Questions

  • House builders and developers
  • Property professionals such as architects, planning consultants, and land agents
  • Private individuals
  • Businesses
  • Insurance brokers and lenders

  • Validating planning applications at Pre-Planning Stage
  • Planning Conditions
  • Building and flood mitigation design
  • Due diligence
  • Code for Sustainable Homes
  • SuDS approval boards (SABs)
  • Lending, mortgages, and pension funds

 

For initial screening at the conceptual design stage. a SuDSmart sustainable drainage report typically supports developers and regulators with infiltration drainage advice. This is the preferred method for managing surface water without increasing flood risk downstream.

When infiltration drainage cannot be undertaken at a site due to the underlying ground conditions, other more conventional drainage systems are introduced in our SuDSmart Plus and Pro Reports (Note: infiltration drainage techniques are also considered when possible).

SuDSmart Plus/Pro Reports analyse the potential run-off from a site so that it can be managed effectively to ensure there is no increase in flood risk on or off the site. Post development run-off rates are assessed for a range of storm events including an allowance for future climate change.

A sustainable drainage strategy is developed to offset the increase in surface water run-off from the new development using the principles of SuDS and the code for sustainable homes. The hydrological context of the site is assessed, along with any potential issues that may affect the SuDS system.

A range of potential options are assessed including discharge to the ground, surface water courses or sewerage. The SuDS report provides sizes and flow rates for a range of sustainable drainage options that may be considered

SuDSmart Reports can be used to support a planning application at Pre-Planning Stage, or alternatively address a Planning Condition prior to planning being granted.

These sustainable drainage reports provide a cursory look at infiltration SuDS which is the preferred method for managing surface water. Whether infiltration techniques are feasible or not will determine the suitability of other SuDS schemes going forward. The level of detail required depends on the specific requirements of your local authority.

You should note that our more detailed report, SuDSmart Plus, provides alternative options and preliminary scheme layouts that should be subject to more detailed review at the master planning stage.

In our experience, this level of detail is required for more stringent planning authorities or for more complex sites that warrant more detailed assessment.

All SuDSmart reports include recommendations for next steps. We will always advise on the most cost effective way to move forward and provide details of how to do this whilst meeting the needs of the planning department.

GeoSmart are able to provide access to a range of highly experienced senior consultants, suppliers and engineers, who can provide a more detailed review of your site specifics and planning requirements.

Please contact a member of the GeoSmart team to put you in touch when further detailed assessment is required.

The GeoSmart SD50 map provides an assessment of the capacity of the ground to receive infiltration depending on the nature, thickness and permeability of the underlying material and the depth to the high groundwater table.

  • Allows preliminary assessment of the site without the need for bespoke SuDS design.
  • Use in conjunction with the SuDSmart report range to identify SuDS infiltration suitability and flow/volume design data.
  • Combination may be sufficient to obtain outline planning.
  • Provides customers with clear site risk profile on drainage cost and land area needed.

To discuss the SD50 SuDS screening map and how it can improve your planning submission for your client, contact us today.

Additional services available

  • Detailed drainage engineering design drawings
  • Management and maintenance plans
  • Topographical surveys
  • Infiltration testing
  • Combined drainage and flood risk assessment
  • Microdrainage
  • Soakaway design
  • Foul drainage assessments
  • Support for building regulations
  • CCTV drain surveys
  • Pre-development sewer enquiries
  • Drainage Modelling
  • Water Management Statements
  • Welsh SAB applications

Did you know, we also provide reports for:

Contaminated Land

EnviroSmart


EnviroSmart Plus


EnviroSmart Pro

Flood Risk

Floodsmart


Floodsmart Plus


Floodsmart Pro

We value the quality of all that we do as critically important and our team is goal oriented

4000+
Environmental Reports provided.
3 million+
UK property transactions used GeoSmart data.
15+
Utility and Public Service Providers used GeoSmart data.
£900Billion+
Value of properties advised on flood risk
Hugely thank you to James and the highly efficent team at Geosmart James Robinson and the team at Geosmart, provided prompt, considered, constructive, and creative, support to me during a very complex and difficult flood risk assessment. Excellent assistance!

Shelley Freer

“We are very pleased with the service provided by GeoSmart. Their reports have been used to assist with numerous planning applications and have always been delivered to budget and on-time, much to our clients’ appreciation. We look forward to working with GeoSmart on future projects”

Alan Gunne-Jones

Planning & Development Associates

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