8.7 SuDS maintenance

As SuDS should be integrated into the landscape and streetscape, their maintenance can often be managed through landscaping plans. This could include grass cutting, inspections of inlets and outlets, silt control and erosion repairs. The long-term maintenance of a structure must be determined at the earliest stages of the design process and should be discussed with SCC SuDS team at the pre-app stage. The typical maintenance requirements of SuDS features are provided in the CIRIA SuDS Manual [Reference 36].

SuDS should be designed to be shallow as this will allow simple inspection and maintenance without the need for specialist equipment and training. Complicated, proprietary, or bespoke systems should be avoided.

The selection of an appropriate and varied mix of species for planting is also an important consideration for future maintenance and effectiveness of SuDS features. The selection will depend on the specific characteristics of the SuDS feature and the local conditions, such as soil types, but planting:

• Must be able to tolerate fluctuation in soil moisture due to periods of drought and sudden inundation.
• Should include ever green species that reduce leaf debris.
• Must be semi-mature (where possible) with fibrous root systems to increase soil stability and assist with silt trapping.
• Must be pollinator friendly to support wildlife.

References

• Reference 36: blank (Return to content for reference 36).