What is the timetable for Welsh Government’s review into sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) via its contractor, Arup, including the relevant stages of the review, and when does it expect the review to be completed by?
The review has now formally commenced. Initially, Arup will review the legislation, standards and guidance alongside issues and feedback, including the most recent Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) review, to produce a consolidated set of issues and potential solutions, which will be provided to the Welsh Government in an Interim Report in August.
The Interim Report will then inform a Focused Questionnaire to stakeholders, to gain consensus on the scale and impact of each of the issues raised.
One stream of the review will focus on the Fees and the Pre-Application process, the team working with both SABs and developers to gather an evidence-base for solutions. We anticipate this report being provided to Welsh Government in early 2023.
A Focused Workshop will then be convened to provide a platform for the industry to collectively discuss the priority issues, proposed solutions and next steps in implementing them. An action-focused draft report with recommendations and options for improving how SuDS are delivered in Wales will be provided to the Welsh Government shortly after. The final report should be produced in April 2023.