Heavier, more frequent downpours mean drainage is now one of the most important parts of any landscaping project. Sustainable drainage systems, often called SuDS, manage rainwater close to where it falls, rather than piping it straight into overloaded drains. They’re increasingly expected on new developments and are a smart choice for existing sites too.
What are sustainable drainage systems?
SuDS slow down, store and clean rainwater using a mix of hard and soft landscaping. Instead of water rushing off hard surfaces into sewers, it soaks into the ground, is held temporarily, or is released slowly. Common features include:
- Permeable paving: block paving, resin bound surfaces and gravel that let water drain through. See our guide to resin bound driveways.
- Soakaways: underground chambers that let water soak into the surrounding soil.
- Swales: shallow, planted channels that carry and filter water across a site.
- Rain gardens: planted areas designed to collect run-off from roofs and paving.
- Ponds and basins: features that hold water after heavy rain and release it gradually.
The benefits
- Reduced risk of surface water flooding on and around your site
- Less pressure on public sewers
- Cleaner water, as soil and plants filter out pollutants
- New habitat for wildlife and more attractive green spaces
- Help meeting planning conditions and sustainability targets
Drainage on clay soils
Much of Staffordshire and Cheshire sits on heavy clay, which drains slowly. That doesn’t rule out sustainable drainage, but it does mean careful design. Soakaways may need to be larger or combined with storage, and surface features like swales and basins often work well.
Fixing existing drainage problems
You don’t need to be building a new development to benefit. Waterlogged lawns, puddled car parks and flooded paths can often be fixed with new channel drains, land drains or a switch to permeable surfacing.
Drainage and landscaping specialists
Biba’s Landscapes designs and installs drainage as part of our hard landscaping projects, and creates ponds, wetlands and wildlife-friendly features through our environmental conservation work. We work for homeowners, developers and local authorities across Staffordshire and Cheshire. Get in touch to discuss your site.
