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Where is the water draining to? a drain? running off down the side of the house? As this will obviously dictate where it falls to.
You should never fall paving towards a building unless there is no option.
If its totally flat you'll have a shallow pond??
As i said you should fall it away from the building unless you have no option.
Its very hard to say what you should do without seeing the site.
Do you have a combined foul and stormwater system or are they seperate?
Lift the manhole nearest the street (maybe on the driveway) and pour a bucket of water down a rainwater gulley that serves only a gutter downspout and see if it comes out through that manhole.
then flush a toilet and see if that comes through the same pipe.
You want a 12'' stihl saw as it has a clutch so is safer.
Yes ballast is the right thing.
The area you are draining, including the middle level, is far to big to just hope it will filter away in a tiny strip of gravel.
ideally you would have a linear drain at the foot of the retaining wall and fall away from the house to it.
lots of good info on paving expert.com regarding drainage so have a read and then come back with any specific queries
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