Concrete path around house

[momist]

Hi everyone, I'm new here although I've been reading the forums for some time.

Sorry if this has been raised before - my search didn't find what I'm looking for.
My house was built in the 1960s and is on clay soil. The foundations go deeper than I've excavated, so I'm not sure of their structure, but are not likely to be unconventional. There is a concrete path about a metre wide around all the walls of the house, which becomes the full width of the driveway at one side.
All these paths have detached from the brickwork, and sunk about 10 - 20 mm, including the driveway, which is also very cracked. This has exposed the common brick used up to ground level above which are concrete bricks used below the dpc level. Above dpc is facing brick of good quality.
The paths and driveway sound very hollow when hit, or even walked upon. A drainage issue (tree and bramble roots from next door) has led me to excavate through the path around an inspection chamber, and I find that there is a cavity about 100 - 200 mm deep under the concrete near to the subsurface wall.
I would like to raise the level back above the common brick, which is spalling off in the frosts we now get in the winter.

My question is: Is there a need for this concrete skirt, due to drainage requirements? Can I demolish all the paths and driveway and replace with porous surfacing, such as block paving? Do building regulations cover this?

Many thanks for any help!

 

[Blagard]

I can't see any reason why you cannot remove the old concrete paving.

As for what you put back, standard blockpaving is not porous surfacing so you may need permeable concrete block paving, which is different. Building Regulations are probably not an issue, Planning probably will be if it's at the front, see

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/pavingfrontgarden/

 

[momist]

As for what you put back, standard blockpaving is not porous surfacing :
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/pavingfrontgarden/

Hmm, thanks Blagard. I will not be paving the "front garden" which will remain unaffected, but the driveway runs past the front garden and up the side of the house to the garage at the rear.

Can anyone tell me if these regulations mean that I cannot replace like with like? Currently the drive is concrete, about 2.7m wide and 12m long. If I break it all up can I not put back a non-porous surface?

My original question was whether the concrete around the house was serving some purpose such as protecting the foundations from water? I had the idea that maybe it was done to keep the ground dry near the walls, and therefore discourage root growth coming close to the foundations, or something like that.

 

[Blagard]

Can anyone tell me if these regulations mean that I cannot replace like with like? Currently the drive is concrete, about 2.7m wide and 12m long. If I break it all up can I not put back a non-porous surface?

My original question was whether the concrete around the house was serving some purpose such as protecting the foundations from water? I had the idea that maybe it was done to keep the ground dry near the walls, and therefore discourage root growth coming close to the foundations, or something like that.

Replacing like for like or using a non-porous paving is OK if the water run off is to area that drains naturally like a boarder or lawn. Replacing like for like and having the water run off to the road gullies or drainage system is what they are trying to deal with because it is a problem.

The thing is you may very well be allowed use drains as before, but it would need planning permission. I don't know what attitude they take in granting it.

On the original question I have never heard of any system along the lines you are describing. I really think that you just have a simple concrete path.

 

[momist]

Replacing like for like or using a non-porous paving is OK if the water run off is to area that drains naturally like a boarder or lawn.

OK Thanks Blagard. My drive currently drains towards the highway, but could then be channelled across onto the mainly gravel front garden (set with plants in it). I hope to be able to make a new drive with a proper drainage channel that leads that way - to stop the puddles I get out of the car into, near the fence. The path around the house will be done in a matching surface, I still favour block paving if I can afford that much coverage, to avoid the cracking up with the clay sinking and heaving.

Porous blocks would be even better, but I expect that they are far more expensive, and the requirement for special sub-base means I can't use the broken concrete drive/path as hard-core to make up the sunken ground.