SuDS in London - a guide

1.3.4 Biodiversity
London’s natural habitats, catchments and
river ecosystems have been disrupted by
urbanisation and intensification. SuDS can
address this by incorporating and creating a
range of habitats that benefit water quality
and urban wildlife.
Although streetscapes can lack the
vegetation to absorb and release water
slowly into the drainage network, a key
priority in London is to integrate more
green infrastructure into development and
the transport network and opportunities
to to this are explored in Chapter 3).
Aspects of biodiversity that can be
addressed by sustainable drainage include:
• Habitat creation, including the
significant existing and potential
urban forest resource of street
trees and parkland trees
• Connectivity and the ability of fauna
and flora to move through the city,
especially along linear infrastructure
such as road, rail and canal corridors
• Source control with living roofs,
green walls, trees and other green
infrastructure, which can also help
intercept rainwater and mitigate
the urban heat island effect
• Improvements to air and water quality
Biodiversity in pond
Biodiversity at roof level
15 1 Principles of SuDS