PP on driveways

[Richard C]

My 1960’s, concrete slab driveway drains directly into a rural road with no surface water drains. The drive is breaking up & needs replacing & I’m thinking of going with asphalt but may use blocks; I’m unsure if I now need PP

a) if I’m replacing an existing drive with one the same size or,
b) asphalt is regarded as permeable & so won’t need PP anyway

What little information there is available on the Planning Portal regarding the new regulations refers to & seems to be concerned with “paving over your front garden”. The new drive will be exactly the same size as the old, anyone know if PP will apply to replacing an existing driveway as above?

 

[^woody^]

If replacing (in whole or part) then you need to conform to the current regulations - ie unless it is PD, then you will need to apply

If repairing or maintaining, then PP will not apply

Asphalt is not normally permeable, but can be made permeable by design

 

[Richard C]

Thanks Woody; don’t know much about asphalt so will have to bone up to make sure I don’t get caught out.

 

[mattylad]

Take photographs before you do anything, just so you can show what it was like before when the council start whinging.

 

[Shytalkz]

Assuming that they ever even find out, of course....

 

[Richard C]

Been having a few BI visits here so they are at least aware of what’s going here but I only have the final inspection left on the current batch of work. I will certainly take lots of pics. & have been doing that all the way through just in case they were needed. Thanks again.

One thing I'm unsure of;

if I use materials/methods that don't require PP, do I have to submit a building notice for BI? How else would they know if it complies?

Am I right in assuming there is no specific BR's yet coverering this!

 

[Thermo]

spoke to the planning dept as weve just done a similar one replacing an existing concrete one. It is not permitted development unless its less than 5m2 or its permeable, even if you are replacing what is already there, so planning permission is needed, unless you install drainage to prevent water flowing onto the highway, then it is counted as permitted development.

 

[ali68]

Anyone know if this law covers the whole UK or just England?

 

[^woody^]

Its England only - we obvious get more rain than the neighbours so only England has the problem.

It really is nonsense. Its PD if you fit a soakaway or make it permeable. If not you need planning permission - which wont be given if you don't fit a soakaway or make it permeable.

Do we actually pay these people to think these things up?

 

[noseall]

Do we actually pay these people to think these things up?

come on woody, since when have council employees ever used, been allowed to use or ever encouraged to use logic.

there has been a common sense vacuum within the council for decades.

 

[Thermo]

if you want to see the ins and outs of it explained quite simply theyve put a new page up on the paving expert site. it really is a knee jerk piece of legislation thats been badly thought out