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Background information

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If you build more than one house or if the area is 100 square meters or bigger, you need a way to handle rainwater.

These systems must follow rules to be eco-friendly.

Before you start building, the local authority must approve your rainwater system.

The authority will take over the system if it meets their rules and works as planned.

Legislation

Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires new buildings to have drainage systems that follow mandatory National Standards for sustainable drainage (SuDS).

Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires local authorities, as the SuDS Approving Body (SAB), to approve, adopt, and maintain drainage systems that meet the rules in section 17. Please see Schedule 3 of the Flood & Water Management Act 2010. You should also refer to CIRIA 753: The SuDs Manual.

What is a SAB?

The local authority, called the SAB, ensures new buildings have proper drainage systems.

These systems must follow national rules:

  • checks and approves drainage plans
  • takes care of the systems if they follow the rules
  • inspects and enforces the rules
  • gives advice before you apply, if you ask

What does it mean for my development?

If you want to build more than one house or an area of 100 square meters or more, you need two approvals: planning and SAB. You can't start building until you have both.

If you already have planning permission before January 7, 2019, you don't need SAB approval. But if you have conditions to meet and don't do it by January 7, 2020, you will need SAB approval.

Exceptions:

  • If your construction doesn't need planning permission, you don't need SAB approval unless it's 100 square meters or more.

  • If you're building one house or something smaller than 100 square meters, you don't need SAB approval.

SAB approval

SAB pre-application merged with LPA pre-application process

The SAB offers a paid service to help plan your drainage system before you apply. This can save time and money.

When you apply, include:

  • a plan showing the construction area and drainage system
  • details on how the work meets SuDS Standards
  • information from the checklist
  • the application fee

The SAB will decide within 7 weeks, or 12 weeks if an Environmental Impact Assessment is needed.

Send your application to the right SAB.

Contact the SAB

SuDS Approval Body (SAB)
(01639) 686850 (01639) 686850 voice +441639686850

Further information

Downloads

  • Guidance on making SUDs applications (DOCX 154 KB)