The UK government has this week accepted a recommendation put forward by Axa UK to mandate sustainable drainage systems for new home developments.

Aimed at reducing the risk of surface water and sewerage flooding and relieve pressure on traditional systems, the recommendations formed part of Axa’s Building for the Future report, in which it outlines a series of ways of future-proofing the built environment.

“I am pleased to see the government has accepted Axa UK’s recommendation to take flood risk seriously by making sustainable drainage systems mandatory for new home developments in England,” said Dougie Barnett, director of customer risk management, Axa Commercial UK. "Regulation has been slow to catch up with the crucial need to make what we build today fit for the evolving requirements of future generations, so this is a positive step in future-proofing the built environment.

“With one in 10 new homes in England being built in at-risk areas, this announcement marks an important move towards improving the resilience, safety and sustainability of our local areas and helps us better protect our customers.”

Sustainable drainage systems reduce the impact of rainfall on homes and buildings by using features such as permeable surfaces, wetlands and grassed areas to improve drainage.

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