New drain connection permissions

[James Carmichael]

I am thinking about a new drainage run for waste water from a sink in a garden outbuilding.

My house is uphill, so any drain run to it would need a pump to lift the waste water. However, behind the outbuilding there's a shared lane (owner unknown - it's the typical service lane that runs behind Victorian houses).

The house on the other side of the lane has a 110mm drain that runs along the middle of this lane, to connect a toilet/bathroom at the front of their property to their main drain, which runs from their back garden. Probably worth adding that we live in a neighbourhood of combined foul and surface water drains.

This drain is not on their land and only serves their property. It's marked on the sewer maps as a private drain.

Am I right in thinking that I need the following permissions to use this drain:
(1) Local sewerage authority (Wessex Water) - While the drain is currently private, I assume the fact that my connecting into it would automatically make it a public drain as I understand all that serve 2 or more properties are by definition?
(2) Householder behind me who currently uses the drain?
(3) Landowner of the lane (untraceable in practice)?
(4) Building control (private or council)?

I also assume that any connection would require the introduction of a manhole?

Thanks

James

 

[jeds]

The sewer would become public at the point it leaves the neighbours property. My advice is apply to the local sewer authority and let them deal with the rest. And. yes, you would need a manhole (or other means of access) at the point of your connection.

 

[James Carmichael]

Thanks. Strangely, it is actively listed in their plans as a private drain.

Academic aside:

However, they're also keen to point out that their plans may not be accurate and cannot be relied upon, so if you want to know if you have public drains nearby your only approach is to dig test trenches or find another means to prove there aren't any drains before you build. The onus is on you to prove the absence of a thing.

Given that digging test trenches can never prove that you don't have drains, only that you haven't found any, I wonder whether it is ever possible to build anything legally without going for a 'just in case' build near agreement - "I have no evidence that you have a drainage asset near me, but you have no evidence that you do not, and you will hold me liable if it later turns out you do, so I need you to agree to me building near or over whatever this asset may turn out to be, if it comes to be".