Tmgroup partners with GeoSmart to offer drainage due diligence reports for lawyers

GeoSmart Information, the innovative environmental reports, data, and services provider, has continued to expand its growth of drainage reports into the legal market.

Earlier this year, GeoSmart published the first ever sustainable drainage system (SuDS) suitability map for England and Wales, and this data is now available in the SuDSmart report for commercial property transactions.

Tmgroup, one of the UK’s largest property search information businesses, is the first to launch SuDSmart to commercial property lawyers.

Through the tmconvey system, they will be able to access the full range of SuDSmart reports for their clients to assess whether SuDS could be a feature of the site.

SuDS are the preferred drainage option for major developments and where there is a risk of flooding near the site. As local authorities are increasingly exercising this as part of planning conditions, it can therefore have an impact on the development scheme design, its economics, and ongoing maintenance conditions.

In drainage guidance for lawyers published earlier this year, John Bates, a barrister at Old Square Chambers, advised: ‘You should commission a pre-application SuDS report to ascertain whether SuDS are appropriate or not because this determination has important legal repercussions for your client, including the possibility of your client and its successors in title having a long-term obligation to maintain the SuDS.’

The tmconvey platform will offer the three main reports in the SuDSmart family:

• SuDSmart – pre-planning application due diligence report showing site suitability and highlighting options for SuDS;
• SuDSmart Plus – provides more detail on potential site issues and runoff volumes and flows for initial design and discussion with the local planning authority; and
• SuDSmart Pro – for development sites needing an outline SuDS strategy to offset the increase in surface water runoff as part of planning conditions.

Jane Towner, the business services director at tmgroup, said: ‘SuDSmart is an essential and highly relevant screening tool for commercial property transactions, where SuDS could be a significant consideration. It allows our customers to advise their clients on site conditions as part of the transaction, helping them also to engage effectively with planning authorities.’

Stuart Pearce, the managing director at GeoSmart, said: ‘We are delighted to partner with tmgroup to keep their clients on side as guidance and regulation tightens around SuDS.

SuDS is a significant consideration within a commercial property transaction. It is important that clients take this into account at the earliest opportunity ahead of land acquisition, as well as when engaging with planning authorities during the development process.

tmgroup has always recognised that firms who offer the richest information will deliver greater quality advice to their clients to improve their support. We are delighted to continue to add value in this way.’

GeoSmart delivers insight on environmental risk and suitability for property development and infrastructure. For more information, please visit www.geosmartinfo.co.uk, email info@geosmartinfo.co.uk, or call 01743 276 150.

tmconvey is an award-winning conveyancing platform, joining up over 400 data suppliers and giving conveyancing solicitors access to all the information they need in one secure system. For more information about tmconvey, visit www.tmgroup.co.uk/convey/property-searches.