UI Associate Liz Sharp has published a new paper examining how the uptake and quality of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) might be enhanced in new housing estates. Published with coauthors Sarah Payne and Kiera Chapman, the paper examines how the often-overlooked land acquisition and valuation processes that shape environmental decision-making. It situates SuDS provision at the intersection of three calculative domains in housebuilding—land valuation, construction costs, and maintenance liabilities. Drawing on elite interviews with volume and super housebuilders operating in Yorkshire, UK, the study shows how these domains influence the uptake of multi-benefit, nature-based drainage solutions compared to minimal “compliant” systems. The paper concludes that without mandatory, consistent regulation and clearer institutional arrangements for SuDS adoption and maintenance, developers will continue to favour minimalist, hydrologically compliant designs over multi-benefit systems. By reconceiving SuDS as market-embedded infrastructure, this study highlights the need for governance reforms that align environmental resilience goals with the economic logics of housebuilding.
Liz Sharp publishes a new paper examining how the uptake and quality of sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) might be enhanced in new housing estates
