MPs are set to debate sustainable drainage systems in Westminster Hall at 1.50pm today - the topic for the debate has been chosen by the Backbench Business Committee.

Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 requires all new developments to incorporate SuDS to manage runoff water effectively. It sets out a legal framework for the approval and adoption of SuDs, and defines what constitutes a drainage system and who is responsible for managing these. It also establishes the need for SuDS approval bodies (SABs).

However, following Royal Assent, while Schedule 3 was subsequently brought into force in Wales in May 2018, it has not yet been brought into force in England.

The government made changes to its National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support increased delivery of SuDs in 2024. The NPPF is the government’s national planning policy for England, it is non-statutory and is treated as a material consideration in planning decisions – however, it does not mandate SuDs for new developments. The government also introduced non-statutory guidance on National Standards for SuDS in England in 2025.

The government has also said that it is “strongly committed to improving the implementation of SuDS” but that better delivery of SuDS may be achieved through improving planning policy, as well as adoption and maintenance, rather than through bringing schedule 3 into force in England. The government said that a final decision on commencing schedule 3 “will be made in due course”.

The topic continues to be an issue of ongoing concern and to be raised in Parliament.

In response to a Parliamentary Question (PQ) in July 2025 on implementing SuDS requirements for new development, Defra Minister Emma Hardy :said

“The Government is strongly committed to improving the implementation of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and we are looking at what additional steps might be taken to support this. We have made some immediate changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) to support increased delivery of SuDS. The NPPF now requires all development to utilise SuDS where they could have drainage impacts. These systems shouldbe appropriate to the nature and scale of the proposed development.

In response to another question in January 2026 asking about the implementation of schedule 3, the Minister stated:

“We are in the process of consulting on a revised version of the NPPF, with new policies on local plans and national decision making, including flood risk and SuDS”.

In response to a separate PQ in January 2026 asking about the government’s plans for SuDS, Minister Emma Hardy responded:

“In June 2025, the Government introduced new national standards. Better delivery of SuDS may be achieved by continuing to improve the current planning policy-based approach and looking at ways of improving the approach to adoption and maintenance, rather than commencing Schedule 3 to the Flood and Water Management Act 2010. A final decision on this matter will be made in due course.”

In December 2025 the government launched a consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework. The consultation closes on 10 March 2026.

The draft NPPF adds a new requirement that sustainable drainage systems should be designed in accordance with the National Standards for Sustainable Drainage Systems to provide a consistent basis for improving their design. To improve water management, a new part to this policy is proposed to avoid the enclosure of watercourses and encourage the de-culverting and re-naturalising of river channels.

Click here to access the consultation on the National Planning Policy Framework

Click here to watch the debate live on ParliamentLive TV or to catch up later