SuDS Strategy for Ground Floor Extension — Condition Discharged, Barnes
We discharged a pre-commencement SuDS Strategy condition for a ground floor extension at 29 Meredyth Road, Barnes. The submission included full runoff calculations for existing and proposed conditions — demonstrating over 50% reduction in peak discharge in line with Local Plan Policy CE2(g) — along with permeable paving specification, drainage layout plans, and long-term maintenance guidance. The condition was discharged with no further comment, allowing the client to proceed to construction without delay.
SuDS Strategy for Ground Floor Extension — Pre-Commencement Condition Discharged, Barnes
Location: 29 Meredyth Road, Barnes, London Borough of Richmond upon Thames | Services: SuDS Strategy, Planning Condition Discharge
Project Background
A pre-commencement planning condition requiring a Sustainable Drainage Systems Strategy is one of the more common hurdles facing householder and small residential extensions in London. Get it wrong — or submit an incomplete report — and development simply cannot start. For the client at 29 Meredyth Road, Barnes, that meant getting a technically robust SuDS Strategy in front of the Local Planning Authority before a single foundation could be dug.
The condition required a comprehensive submission addressing runoff rates, attenuation volumes, SuDS feature specification, drainage layout, and long-term maintenance — covering all elements the council would need to be satisfied before granting discharge.
Our Approach
We prepared a full SuDS Strategy report structured to address the condition requirements directly and completely, leaving no grounds for the authority to request further information.
Runoff calculations were carried out for both existing and proposed site conditions, incorporating climate change allowances and all contributing flow sources. The assessment demonstrated a reduction in peak runoff rate exceeding 50%, meeting the threshold set out in Local Plan Policy CE2(g) and providing a clear, quantified demonstration of drainage betterment.
The proposed drainage solution centred on permeable paving with sub-base attenuation — a well-established approach for constrained residential plots that delivers both surface water management and practical durability. Drainage layout plans were produced to illustrate surface water conveyance routes, SuDS feature locations, storage capacities, and the point of connection to the existing sewer system.
The submission also included detailed maintenance guidance, access provisions, and structural profiles for each SuDS component, ensuring the council had everything needed to assess long-term deliverability as well as immediate compliance.
Outcome
The planning condition was formally discharged with no additional comments from the council. The client was able to proceed to construction without delay — which, on a time-sensitive extension project, is often as important as the technical content of the report itself.