Like-for-Like Drive Replacement - the Rules

Oct 30, 2012 12 Replies

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thescullster 13 years ago

Hi all

In discussion with ARW yesterday, he mentioned a point regarding drive replacement/resurfacing. From the dim and distant past, I think this sounded familiar.

If you intend to lay a new driveway, there are rules regarding water run off, either onto the public highway or down drains. These can involve providing soak aways and taking other measures to retain rain water for local dispersion. Clearly these additional measures will involve additional costs.

The question is, if the project is making good/replacement of an existing drive rather than creating new, do these rules still apply?

Thanks

Phil

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The Medway Handyman 13 years ago

Interesting point. The garden of Handyman Towers 2 is mainly slabbed - with horrible yellow & pink cheap 1970's slabs.

If I deck over them, the deck would cover more than 50% of the garden & in theory need planning permission - but the drainage would be no different - in fact, if I remove some slabs it would improve.

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Robin 13 years ago

In the meantime I discussed with a BCO last year how the SUDS regs affected options for MiL's drive. Seemed clear to both of us that a

*replacement* had to meet the new regs. We also ended up agreeing that the regs (and guidance) seemed silent on repairs, so (i) repairs did not need to comply but (ii) it looked like everyone had to wait for case law to draw the dividing line between repairs and replacement. I got the impression she thought this was a pretty sorry position to dump on BCOs, as was also the total lack of resources to check compliance, and I certainly sympathise with them on that.

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thescullster 13 years ago

One thing I will not be doing on this project is involving Building Control.

Regular posters will understand!

Phil

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Robin 13 years ago

Oh aye, I remember your accounts of the BCO in need of diversity training.

Come to think of it, it may be that planning control are meant to police new drives as part of the permitted development stuff.

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Hugh - in either England or Sp 13 years ago

According to my research the rules apply to direct replacements. The guy who laid our block pavved drive said that previous customers had been told by the council that they regarded block paving as permeable. This despite the fact that separate permeable paving was available with different sub material and subject to survey. I rang the council and they told me they considered block paving permeable and no application was necessary!

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newshound 13 years ago

A pragmatic bureaucrat: win-win!

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Roger Mills 13 years ago

. . even if complete bollocks!

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Hugh - in either England or Sp 13 years ago

I don't care. Drive is done and lovely. Would have cost a fortune to get it done permeably.

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John 13 years ago

Front garden near us covered in block pavers - neat little drain across the lower slope - don't know where it drains to since I saw no excavation when they were laying it, suspect it is for show and a sort of sump for oil.....

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Andrew Gabriel 13 years ago

I thought it was permeable nowadays - ridges prevent adjacent "bricks" from making full contact, so water drains between them.

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ARW 13 years ago

Phil, I would try that idea.

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Hugh - in either England or Sp 13 years ago

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is not the permeable variety. In light rain there is no run off but when it rains harder...

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