Channel for a rainwater pipe

[nickm500]

Hi

I have a concrete back-yard surrounded by buldings on all sides. There is a drain grate in the centre. Due to the gentle sloping, the rain water that falls in the yard runs down into the drain. No problems there of course.

But, there is a single vertical rain water drain pipe attached to one of the walls that deposits large amounts of water into the yard when it rains.

This drain pipe does not have its own collection grate and so when it rains there is a bit of a river in the yard as water flows down out of the drain pipe, over the ground, to the central grate.

This seems to make the yard much wetter than it would have otherwise been as the buildings on each side provide some shelter to the yard.

I just wanted to know whether I could in theory create a new drain under the rain pipe and connect this via an underground pipe either to the existing central drain (maybe 4 or 5 metres away) or, preferably, to another drain (only 2 metres away) that collects water from sinks and baths and has a U bend in it.

In any case, just to give you all the facts, I wanted to lay a new surface over the concrete yard generally (because it is ugly) and wasn't sure whether to go for slabs, bricks, deck tiles etc.

I'm a bit worried about doing what I propose with the drain first because:

1) it will be difficult to dig up the concrete to install the new drain under the rain pipe and the horizontal underground pipe to the existing drain

2) might it affect foundations of the buildings?

3) building regs - I presume plans should be drawn up and delivered and the fee paid.

4)I don't want to get permission from freeholder if this constitutes "alterations" as from experience it will probably take a year and cost about £600.

5) listed building consent (grade II building) but arguably this isn't necessary for this kind of thing

If anyone has any suggestions then I'd be very grateful to hear them.

Thanks
Nickm

[lutonlagerlout]

I cant see what the problem is,as long as its a Rain water run you are connecting into you can connect the pipe in to it underground,its already taking the rainwater anyway so no difference there
if the building is listed you may need to get english heritage to advise you on new surfacing
no doubt will be bloody expensive and nigh impossible to get hold off,apart from their "genuine ye olde english slate works" in szechuan china,so they can get a massive kickback.

as you can tell i have had dealings with EH
LLL