Detention pond definition
Approved Document H - Drainage and Waste Disposal, gives the following definition:
'Detention ponds are used to attenuate the flow from a drainage system, to limit the peak rate of flow into a sewer system or watercourse. Further information on design may be found in the references given in paragraph 3.36 and in Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems – A Design Manual for England and Wales published by CIRIA.' (This has been superseded by The SUDS manual (2011 reprint with errata), 2007).
Paragraph 3.36 suggests that the requirement can be met by following the relevant recommendations of:
- BS EN 752-4 Drain and sewer systems outside buildings; Part 4 Hydraulic design and environmental considerations, clauses 3 to 12 and National Annexes NA, NB and ND to NI. (Withdrawn and replaced by BS EN 752 below).
- BS EN 752 Drain and sewer systems outside buildings.
- BS EN 1295-1:1997 Structural design of buried pipelines under various conditions of loading. General requirements.
- BS EN 1610:1998 Construction and testing of drains and sewers. (Withdrawn and replaced by BS EN 1610:2015 Construction and testing of drains and sewers).
See also: Balancing pond.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Aquatic bench.
- Are sustainable urban drainage systems the response to our changing climate?
- Balancing pond.
- Barking Riverside development landscape.
- Basin.
- Bund.
- Catchment flood management plans.
- Culvert.
- Flood and Water Management Act.
- Lagoon.
- Rainwater harvesting.
- River engineering.
- Soakaway.
- SuDS infographic.
- Sustainable urban drainage systems SUDS.
- Swales definition.
- Water Act 2014.
- Water engineering.
Featured articles and news
Plumbing and heating for sustainability in new properties
Technical Engineer runs through changes in regulations, innovations in materials, and product systems.
Awareness of the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism
What CBAM is and what to do about it.
The new towns and strategic environmental assessments
12 locations of the New Towns Taskforce reduced to 7 within the new towns draft programme and open consultation.
Buildings that changed the future of architecture. Book review.
The Sustainability Pathfinder© Handbook
Built environment agency launches free Pathfinder© tool to help businesses progress sustainability strategies.
Government outcome to the late payment consultation, ECA reacts.
IHBC 2025 Gus Astley Student Award winners
Work on the role of hewing in UK historic conservation a win for Jack Parker of Oxford Brookes University.
Future Homes Building Standards and plug-in solar
Parts F and L amendments, the availability of solar panels and industry responses.
How later living housing can help solve the housing crisis
Unlocking homes, unlocking lives.
Preparing safety case reports for HRBs under the BSA
A new practical guide to preparing structural inputs for safety cases and safety case reports published by IStructE.
Male construction workers and prostate cancer
CIOB and Prostate Cancer UK encourage awareness of prostate cancer risks, and what to do about it.
The changed R&D tax landscape for Architects
Specialist gives a recap on tax changes for Research and Development, via the ACA newsletter.
Structured product data as a competitive advantage
NBS explain why accessible product data that works across digital systems is key.
Welsh retrofit workforce assessment
Welsh Government report confirms Wales faces major electrical skills shortage, warns ECA.
A now architectural practice looks back at its concept project for a sustainable oceanic settlement 25 years on.
Copyright and Artificial Intelligence
Government report and back track on copyright opt out for AI training but no clear preferred alternative as yet.
Embedding AI tools into architectural education
Beyond the render: LMU share how student led research is shaping the future of visualisation workflows.
Why document control still fails UK construction projects
A Chartered Quantity Surveyor explains what needs to change and how.
Inspiration for a new 2026 wave of Irish construction professionals.
New planning reforms and Warm Homes Bill
Take centre stage at UK Construction Week London.

























