Helping You Comply With Building Regulations

In October 2008 the Government introduced new legislation extending the need for planning permission and introducing other requirements when installing a driveway. At Stannard Construction we are able to advise and take care of all the requirements to ensure that you have a legal and environmentally friendly solution. There are many types of drainage systems and permeable paving materials that with expert installation will avoid the need for planning permission.

To comply with the new legislation, a paved driveway must be designed to prevent surface water run-off. A soakaway along with linear drainage channels or a gully is the most common and inexpensive method of achieving this. A soakaway stores the rainwater underground and releases it at a controlled rate into the surrounding soil. During our site survey, we will establish the suitability, size, construction method and possible location of the soakaway.

Here is a typical example of a soakaway installed beneath a paved driveway:

At the bottom of this page, you can see some examples of different drainage systems

DO I NEED PLANNING PERMISSION?

Here is a guide to quickly determine whether your driveway installation will require planning permission.

NO PLANNING PERMISSION IS REQUIRED IF:

If the area of hard surface is constructed using a permeable product there is no limit to size in this case.
Standard impermeable paving can be used if a provision is made for rainwater from traditional impermeable hard landscaping to drain into a soft landscape such as grass or border planting with sufficient permeability, or into a specially constructed soakaway.
If the area of hard surface intended is less than 5 square metres.
The new legislation only affects front garden areas.
Elsewhere around the house, there are no restrictions on hard surfaces at or near ground level.

PLANNING PERMISSION IS REQUIRED IF:

If rainwater from the impermeable hard surface at ground level has nowhere to run
other than into the household drainage system or on to the public highway.
If the property intended for work is a listed building.
Conservation areas, World Heritage sites, National Parks and Areas of outstanding
natural beauty may have some restricted permitted development rights for householders. Better to enquire in advance in such circumstances.