Knowledge Sessions by FPS Environmental – Updated National Standards for SuDS

The UK Government’s 2025 update to the National Standards for Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) marks a turning point in how we manage surface water in new developments. These standards are no longer just best practice, they’re becoming essential infrastructure for sustainable, resilient communities.

At FPSE Environmental, we hosted a free knowledge session to help you understand what’s changed, what it means for your projects, and how to stay compliant while unlocking long-term value.

What is a Knowledge Session

A knowledge session is an online seminar designed to share updates, insights, and best practices on a chosen subject. These sessions provide an opportunity to deepen understanding, ask questions, and discuss how new guidance or changes apply to our industry. Each session will last around 30–40 minutes and will be held on Microsoft Teams, allowing everyone to join easily from their usual workspace. There will be a Q&A at the end for any questions you may have.

What’s New in the 2025 SuDS Standards?

The core principles of the update are outlined below. In our upcoming knowledge session, we’ll explore each one in detail and discuss what they mean in practice.

• Mimic natural drainage: Manage surface water at or near its source, favouring above-ground, vegetated systems over traditional piped drainage.
• Adopt a management train approach: Incorporate a sequence of features for interception, conveyance, storage, and treatment of runoff.
• Integrate design early: Align drainage design with site layout, topography, existing watercourses, green infrastructure, and climate resilience from the outset.
• Plan for the full lifecycle: Consider construction, long-term maintenance, structural performance, and eventual decommissioning.

Why It Matters to You

Whether you’re a local authority, developer, architect, or planner, ignoring these standards could mean:

• Planning delays due to non-compliance.
• Increased costs from redesigns or retrofits.
• Flooding and pollution risk that damage property and reputation.
• Missed opportunities to enhance site value through green infrastructure.

We’ve seen firsthand how early integration of SuDS can transform outcomes. Our team has helped deliver compliant, attractive drainage strategy that passed planning smoothly and added environmental value to the site.

FPS Environmental: Your SuDS Partner

We’ve worked on numerous SuDS strategies across residential, commercial, and public sector developments. From initial concept and design through to implementation, we provide practical, compliant, and environmentally responsible approaches to surface water management

Our upcoming session will cover:

• The new SuDS standards and how to apply them.
• Real-world examples from FPSE projects.
• Risks of non-compliance and how to avoid them.
• How to design SuDS that deliver planning success and long-term value.

We hope you enjoyed attending our Knowledge Session on SuDS – Updated National Standards for Sustainable Drainage Systems. Should you wish to speak to us about a project please reach out to our team.