West Lancashire, along with the rest of the UK, is now facing
inevitable climate change and increasing numbers of extreme weather
events – all of which can have a major impact on our natural
environment.
Developers are encouraged to show how water
from sites will be managed and the Council will support development
measures that promote sustainable drainage and reduce the risk of
localised flooding.
Flood risk zones
Developers need to consider if the site is
located within a Flood Risk Zone. We’ve produced a flood
risk assessment of the borough to help.
Permitted development
Recent changes to the general Permitted
Development Order means that the hard surfacing of more than 5
square metres of a domestic front garden is classed as permitted
development only where the surface in question is permeable.
The use of traditional materials such as
impermeable concrete, where there is no facility in place to ensure
permeability, requires an application for planning permission.
Actions to ensure sustainable drainage and
effective water management include:
- Sustainable Drainage Systems
(SUDS) - help control the quantity and
improve the quality of run-off water from a development and
contribute towards nature conservation and landscape
improvements.
- Permeable surfaces/ filter
drains - allow for effective drainage and reduce surface
water run-off. Keep areas of hard standing to a minimum and
increase green surfaces or areas of soak-away.
- Rainwater harvesting/ grey water recycling –
underground storage tanks for the collection of rainwater or grey
water (bath/ shower water) for use in the home and garden.
- Filter strips and swales – vegetated channels
and sloping surfaces that drain water off impermeable areas.
- Water conservation – seek to use water
efficiently through specification of water efficient devices.
- Green roofs – where the roof of a building is
covered, or partially covered, with vegetation and soil. This can
help reduce flood risk and increase local biodiversity.
Related information