What happens if you cannot have a soakaway? - Soakaway advice

[i_want_a_new_drive]

Hi all

I've decided that I'm not keen on the permeable blocks and now want the regular non-permeable blocks instead. I mentioned this to the firm who quoted me on the permeable stuff and they pretty much said I cannot have a soakaway so they recommended the permeable blocks.

I have a concrete drive that slopes downwards onto the road. The drive has two manhole covers, one at the top of the drive near the house is drainage for rainwater and the manhole at the foot of the drive is linked to the sewer for foul waste, the two are not connected to each other.

I'm no expert but thought a soakaway could just be dug at the foot of the drive. Is it that easy or is there more to it than that?

Also the firm has said the price would be the same whether I go for permeable or non-permeable blocks, does that sound right, I would have thought non-permeable would be cheaper???

Any advice most welcome.
thanks

[seanandruby]

Go to the main index, the permeable paving and suds. No it's not that straight forward to ''just dig a soakaway at the foot of the drive.''

[i_want_a_new_drive]

Go to the main index, the permeable paving and suds. No it's not that straight forward to ''just dig a soakaway at the foot of the drive.''

Yes I did read it but I can't work out if that means some drives cannot have a soakaway?

Has the soakaway requirement happened since the planning rule was brought in or has that always been the case?

Also does it make sense that laying permeable blocks would cost the same as non-permeable blocks?

[ambient]

if the ground isnt permeable theres no point building a soakaway or using permeable block if you dig test holes for permiability and they fail you can apply for planning to put normal block paving in the old fashioned way no need for soakaway or permeable block your contractor should know this, pricewise normal block is cheaper but the drainage to make it permeable can be expensive to build a proper crate type soakaway ???

[seanandruby]

Go to the main index, the permeable paving and suds. No it's not that straight forward to ''just dig a soakaway at the foot of the drive.''

Yes I did read it but I can't work out if that means some drives cannot have a soakaway?

Has the soakaway requirement happened since the planning rule was brought in or has that always been the case?

Also does it make sense that laying permeable blocks would cost the same as non-permeable blocks?

You would have to test the ground to see if water soaks away. For whatever reasons it mat not be possible to install a soakaway, ground conditions' ie clay being one of them. The suds for driveways would be your ideal solution. Soakaways should be a minimum of 5 metres from your house. No, it will cost more because you will dig deeper, so more muck away and reinstating.

[i_want_a_new_drive]

if the ground isnt permeable theres no point building a soakaway or using permeable block if you dig test holes for permiability and they fail you can apply for planning to put normal block paving in the old fashioned way no need for soakaway or permeable block your contractor should know this, pricewise normal block is cheaper but the drainage to make it permeable can be expensive to build a proper crate type soakaway ???

Oh ok, its making more sense now.

So for arguments sake if we can't have a soakaway or permeable blocks and apply for planning to install the old normal block paving the council could refuse?

[Tony McC]

In theory the *could* refuse, but they would be very, very unlikely to do so, as if it went to appeal, they would have to show that an alternative construction (ie: permeable or a soakaway) could have been used, and from what you;ve told us, this just isn't feasible.

It's much more likely that they'd take the 150 quid and let you get on with it.