Drainage - Planning, Designing and Consequences
New Legislation
In October 2008 new laws were passed in England with regard to the installation of any impermeable paving surface (including new for old). This law requires the property owner to obtain planning permission in the following circumstances ;
- the property is in England (Scotland and Wales are exempt).
- the paving is to be installed between the house frontage and the road (patios are exempt).
- the rainwater which falls on the impermeable surface cannot be diverted in to the ground.
How Do Patterned Concrete Overcome This?
If you live in England and you wish our impermeable Imprinted Concrete surface on your driveway we can easily satisfy these requirements by the following;
- drainage channels (Aco Drains) are inserted to take the rainfall prior to it entering the road or Aco drainsexisting storm drains.
- we then excavate chambers into which large soakaway crates are placed - the new channels are then piped in to these soakaways.
- all rainwater landing on our new surface will now make its way in to the ground via the soakaway or in to the surrounding garden.
What Happens in Areas Where the Ground Drainage is Slow and Poor?
Once we have allowed the ground to soak away as much water as it can consume from our large crated chamber, the legislation allows us to overflow in to existing storm drains. This is particularly important in areas where the ground contains a high clay content or the water table is high.
As long as all the above criteria is satisfied there will be no requirement to apply for Planning Permission but what if we cannot?
Planning Permission applications cost £150.00 - But we have yet to find circumstance where this would be necessary.