Case study
A drainage strategy for a barn in Oxfordshire, prepared for planning and approved.
The constraint
Infiltration testing confirmed the ground would take water, so the scheme could discharge at the top of the drainage hierarchy rather than relying on a restricted discharge.
What we did
The scheme uses rainwater harvesting, permeable paving and attenuation storage.
The numbers
| Climate change allowance, 1 in 30 year | 35% |
| Climate change allowance, 1 in 100 year | 40% |
Every SuDS option, and why
Each option in the SuDS hierarchy was considered for this site. This is the assessment as it went into the report:
| Option | Used | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Rainwater Harvesting | Yes | Rainwater harvesting systems have been proposed. |
| Green Roofs | No | Green roofs have not been proposed for this site as there is insufficient access to roof areas for maintenance and as such the system could not be effectively maintained to ensure long term performance. |
| Proprietary Treatment Systems | No | The use of proprietary treatment systems is not considered economically viable or required on this site considering installation and operational costs. |
| Filter Strips | No | Filter strips have not been considered the most effective proposal for this site due to the proposed site layout. |
| Filter Drains | No | Filter Drains have not been considered the most effective proposal for this site due to the proposed site layout. |
| Swales | No | Swales are not suitable for this scheme due to available space and proposed land use. |
| Bioretention Systems | No | Bioretention Systems have not been considered the most effective proposal for this site due to the lack of available landscape areas. |
| Porous Pavements | Yes | All hardstanding’s are proposed to be of permeable construction. |
| Attenuation Storage | Yes | Soakaway crates have been proposed to aCenuate flows prior to infiltration into the ground. |
The kind of condition this discharges
Wording differs between officers, but a scheme like this one is normally answering a condition along these lines:
No development shall commence until a detailed surface water drainage scheme, based on sustainable drainage principles and an assessment of the hydrological and hydrogeological context of the development, including infiltration testing carried out in accordance with BRE Digest 365, has been submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority.
The infiltration testing and the soakaway sizing are what answer this one. There is a fuller guide to discharging drainage planning conditions if you want to read up on the process.
Outcome
The scheme was approved at planning.
Every scheme in these case studies was approved — that is the point of the exercise. If you have a drainage condition to discharge, send us the wording and the site address and we will tell you exactly what is needed.
More on drainage design in Oxfordshire, browse the rest of our case studies, or see what a drainage strategy involves.