SEV was able to take bold decisions to introduce Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, whereas a traditional developer may have been primarily concerned with the amount of development land was taken up by the system of swales.

The SEV organisation knew that water – conservation and management – would be an important integral part of the Energy Village. Since the installation of the swales, there has been no flooding during heavy rain of a neighbouring road (something that had been a historic problem before).

SUDS deal with surface water run off from the roads and other hard surfaced areas. The water gently permeates or evaporates creating green corridors through the site and stopping any risk of flash flooding. The Energy Village has the UK's largest application of engineered SUDS, with all surface waters being managed on site.

Despite ongoing issues about whether statutory authorities would adopt SUDS (ongoing in the UK) SEV’s stance has been that they work; add to biodiversity; mitigate flood risk; look better than a barren industrial landscape and cut pollution. SUDS are a recommendation in the UK Government’s Planning Policy Guidance (PPG 25). SEV didn’t need to wait for the guidance, we went ahead with SUDS and they are being maintained by our organisation.