Do i really need a soakaway?

[macgrl]

As part of my new gravel drive I am having to block pave some of the front of it in order to get the right height for the gravel part as it is on a slope.

The block paving area is around 6 sq m

As a result of this I know that I have to put some drainage in so as to stop rain water running off my property onto the street.

No drainage is needed for the gravel part of the drive as this is classed as being porous
I am putting in some gully drainage and all is good.

My question is how big should the soakaway be?

I have had a look at a much bigger block paved drive (approx 15 sq m) that was put in near me last month and all the contractor has done is to have the drainage gully run into a flower bed.

The amount of water from mine is going to be minimal and so am not sure what to do?

Do I just let it run into the flower bed or do I dig a soakaway? and if so how big?

When I spoke to the planning dept they basically said that they don't care how you do it providing that no water runs off.


The advice from Warwick DC planning website via there self assessment form is this -

"You must comply with the conditions if the hard surface to be constructed... covers and area in excess of 5 sq m ....

(the conditions)

..provision shall be made to direct run-off water from the hard surface to a permeable or porous area or surface within..(my land)

No mention is actually made of a soakaway to be fair.

So I should be ok just letting it run into the flower bed?

Any advice very much appreciated

Th

[dig dug dan]

you will be fine to run the water into a flowerbed for a such a small area. The planning departments really don't care, and when i challenged my local highways authority about water run off, they said it was low down on their priority list.
That will comply with any planning department

[local patios and driveway]

i dont want to disagree with dan but for a little extra work put in the soakaway, maybe later you might want to get rid of the gravel for blocks, and then you are futureproof.

[lutonlagerlout]

soakaway =£300-450 costwise
to do it right
LLL

[GB_Groundworks]

for 6m2 of drive you need a 0.10000002m3 soak away or basically a 10cm cube so nope flower bed will be fine

[henpecked]

Just listening to Radio four. Theyre banging on about how you can get a refund on your water rates because they charge for 'handling run off '.
They cant have it both ways surely, ie. specifying a soak away for top water and charging for handling 'run off'?
Food for thought :;):

[macgrl]

Thank you very much for the advice. I will just let it run into the flower bed, in the unlikely event that the council say something I will ask them exactly what they want. The soakaway won't have to be that big any way for such a small amount of surface area.

My local council are broke so I am sure that they have more important things to worry about