Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what progress his Department has made on enforcing the mandatory adoption of sustainable drainage schemes (SuDS) through Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

This Government is strongly committed to requiring standardised SuDS in new developments. These should be to designs that cope with changing climatic conditions as well as delivering wider water infrastructure benefits, reduce run off and help to improve water quality, amenity, and biodiversity. It is also important to ensure appropriate adoption and maintenance arrangements are in place.

We believe that these outcomes can be achieved through either improving the current planning led approach using powers now available or commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. A final decision on the way forward will be made in the coming months.

The Government is committed to bring the injustice of ‘fleecehold’ private estates to an end.  We will consult this year on the on the best way to achieve this and we will include options to reduce the prevalence of private management of these estates.