putting washing machine in bathroom?

[washwash]

two questions:

we'd like to move our washing machine into the bathroom. we would build a cupboard around it and the cupboard would only be openable by a key (tool). we'd run the flex through the wall so it would be plugged in to a socket in the next room. this socket would be on an RCD.

* is our plan legal (in the UK)?

we'd like to join the washing maching waste outlet onto the existing basin waste outlet, so that we don't have to drill a new hole in the exterior wall of the building just for the w/m waste.

* do we need a minimum distance between the w/m outlet flow and the basin plug hole to avoid waste water from the washing machine bubbling up into the basin?

thanks very much for any help/suggestions.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

You can have a W/M in a bathroom providing it is outside zone 2 it can not be served by a socket outlet unless the outlet is 3 metres beyond zone 1 and protected by at least a 30mA RCD.
It can be hard wired though, again RCD protection, but as your outlet is outside the bathroom you should be okay.
As for waste pipe, I doubt it would be a problem, but logic would say make the intersection joint as low as practicable.