Despite repeated pledges by successive governments, Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 has still not been brought into force in England, leaving Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) optional in new developments and missing a critical opportunity to embed resilience from the outset. The Government should now commence Schedule 3 in England without further delay, making SuDS mandatory in all new developments. (Recommendation, Paragraph 90) 64 Supporting people, places and prepa...

Despite repeated pledges by successive governments, Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 has still not been brought into force in England, leaving Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) optional in new developments and missing a critical opportunity to embed resilience from the outset. The Government should now commence Schedule 3 in England without further delay, making SuDS mandatory in all new developments. (Recommendation, Paragraph 90) 64 Supporting people, places and preparedness Type: recommendation | Number: 26 | Response status: not_accepted Government response: The government remains committed to strengthening the delivery of Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) and is exploring further measures to enhance support for their implementation. The FloodReady report, published in October 2025, highlights gaps and opportunities to grow the property flood resilien