Page 118 - Luton SuDS DESIGN & EVALUATION

Detailed Design 9.10 Planting design for SuDS

The choice of vegetation cover and plant
species is an important aspect of designing
SuDS systems and features. Vegetation is an
inherent functional part of any soft-landscape
SuDS feature as well as being about
aesthetics, usability and wildlife benefits.
Vegetation type and species selection can
significantly affect hydraulic and pollution
control functionality as well as the
contribution to amenity and biodiversity.

The SuDS plant palette will often vary from
conventional landscape design for reasons of
SuDS functionality, different ground
conditions and to protect the wider

environment from chemical contamination.

Strutts Centre, Belper.
Contemporary ‘prarie’ planting in raingarden
collecting roof runoff and access road runoff.

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9.10.1 Objectives of planting design for SuDS

SuDS planting design should satisfy general ■ augmenting biodiversity by structure,
planting design criteria and relies on an species richness and careful management
awareness of the landscape maintenance (refer to the Biodiversity section 9.9)
requirements. In addition, planting should ■ creating attractive surroundings and
fulfill specific SuDS functions, such as:
community amenity
■ preventing soil erosion
■ protection of the environment by avoiding
■ trapping silt and pollution from runoff the need for herbicides, pesticides or
fertilizer treatment.
■ encouraging interception (evaporation,
infiltration and transpiration)

■ enabling long term infiltration by opening
soil profiles through the root growth cycle

Luton Borough Council SuDS D & E Guide © 2018 McCloy Consulting & Robert Bray Associates