The Stilwell Partnership: Keep up to date with our news bulletins

• Question: What is the difference between:
• a watercourse
• a surface water sewer
• a highway drain and
• a private sewer?
•  
• Answer: They are all the responsibility of different parties.

• Question: What do all the following have in common?
• a watercourse
• a surface water sewer
• a highway drain and
• a private sewer
•  
• Answer: They all flood in extreme weather conditions!

The comprehensive review of the lessons to be learned from the 2007 Summer Floods by Sir Michael Pitt has been published. Pitt recommends that each local authority (mainly district councils) should implement a register of Flood Risk with information of ownership and condition. With this, the local authority would be able to develop a strategy for the management of flood risk through Local Surface Water Management Plans.

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The Stilwell Partnership has further tailored the range of technical services we provide to reflect planning legalisation relating to sustainability and to address our client's requirements in this rapidly developing area. As an active member of the Green Register, an association of like minded construction professionals, we can keep up to date with current events, changes in legislation and best practice construction techniques in the field of sustainable design. Find out more about this and how the following relate to your development proposals:

• Energy Statements
• Energy Efficiency and CHP
• Renewable Energy
• The Code for Sustainable Homes

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The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM2007) are in force from 6 April 2007. The aim is for health and safety considerations to be treated as an essential, but normal part of a project's development - not an afterthought or bolt-on extra. These Regulations set further onerous health and safety obligations on the promoter of all construction projects.

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From December 2006, Planning Applications for Development Proposals of 1 Hectare or greater in Flood Zone 1 and all proposals for new development in Flood Zones 2 and 3 should be accompanied by a Flood Risk Assessment. PPS 25 Development and Flood Risk requires that flood risk is taken into account at all stages in the planning process.

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The Department for Communities & Local Government Circular 01/2006 requires that from 10th August 2006 all Design Statements submitted with Planning Applications should include an Access Component. This technical assessment of site access should ensure that all users "will have equal and convenient access to buildings and spaces and the public transport network".

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