Gravel drive, removing paved area and turfing

[MagicHammer]

Hi,
I am planning to lay a gravel drive at the front of my house and knock down part of the front garden wall, and also to remove a paved area in my back garden and turf the area. I've checked with the council and I can knock down the wall and also lay a gravel drive.

I've attached some photos of the front garden and also the paved area in the rear garden, and I wonder if anybody could please help me with a couple of initial questions.

The first one is whether anybody knows what the item is that is in the ground halfway along the left hand section of the front garden wall (I have also included a close-up of the item), and whether I can remove it. It seems to be some kind of vent. I initially wanted to remove the whole wall but, if the item has to stay, I may just knock the wall down to that point.

The other question is whether I could use the grass from the front garden to turf the area I will expose in the back garden. I will eventually need to buy some turf, but it would seem a waste not to use the front garden grass if I can.

If anybody can provide any advice on the above, or has any general advice or observations, it would be much appreciated.

EDIT: I should mention that the driveway that can be seen alongside the front garden is a shared driveway, which I will be leaving as is.

Untitled

• MagicHammer
• 3 Dec 2012
• 1

Untitled

• MagicHammer
• 3 Dec 2012
• 1

Untitled

• MagicHammer
• 3 Dec 2012
• 1

 

[HERTS P&D]

The vent in your front garden is from your man hole, which could be removed as long as the pipe work is filled. I would advise getting new turf for your rear lawn.

Andy

 

[MagicHammer]

The vent in your front garden is from your man hole, which could be removed as long as the pipe work is filled. I would advise getting new turf for your rear lawn.

Thanks very much.

With regards to filling in the pipe work, what would that consist of? Is it something that a non-expert could do?

With regards to using new turf rather than the front garden grass, is that because it won't take well, or maybe because it is hard to cut it out?

I wondered if I could perhaps try transplanting it and, if it didn't work, then buying turf instead.