Following the introduction of legislation, you can no longer pave over your front garden without considering where the surface water may drain to.

Everyone is asked to act responsibly and do their bit by installing driveways that ensure surface water is handled within the confines of the property, letting it soak into the ground rather than flooding public drains.

What are your options?

There are a number of ways to meet the new legislation, but choosing one depends on the layout of your property and front garden.  Here is some help to make your choice easier:

Option 1 - Permeable Solutions

These solutions allow water to permeate through to and into the ground naturally.  More advanced applications allow you to collect and reuse water in the home or garden.  Permeable block paving and gravel are the most common examples.  Permeable block paving requires a different subbase structure to ensure it works efficiently, starting off with some simple tests to understand the suitablility of local soil conditions.

Omega Flow and Classico Flow are the current permeable block paving ranges we stock

Option 2 - Impermeable Solutions with Soakaways

It is possible to install any of our standard driveway paving products to meet the new legislation.  All you need to do is ensure that the design includes suitable drainage slopes and channels to collect water towards and into an effective soakaway or soft landscaped area. This needs to be large enough to cope in severe weather conditions.

Option 3 - Impermeable Solutions without Soakaways (may require planning permission!)

This is acceptable if the area is less than 5 sqm, for example on a short set of paved wheel tracks, but for anything larger and where rain will run into the public drain or household system, planning permission may be required. 

For the latest information on how to apply, visit http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/ or contact your local planning office.