Paving - Planning Permission Required ?

50Twuncle

We live in a semi with a small front and rear garden and large garden to the side, they are all lawn with flower borders
What we want to do is pave over most of the front (16 sq m) and rear (25 sq m) in order to make the garden more manageable (Both myself (registered disabled) and my wife (carpal tunnel syndrome) have problems even mowing all the grass)

The side lawn is approx 100 Sq metres and is being left as is - in fact in the last ten years - it has gone from a muddy area to pristeen lawn (it is a large rectangle and easier to mow than the other two fiddly areas)

The borders will be left as they are - so not totally paved over
The drainage would not be into the sewers - but into soakaways !!

Do we need planning permission for this (or should be try to find some permeable paving) ?

Will this cost us - how much and if it will be considered Disabled Facilities and hence be FOC ?

I would appreciate any advice - since the cost (even using "normal" paving) - has been quoted as over £5k - which, to me - seems excessive ??

Orford

You will not need planning permission if a new or replacement driveway of any size uses permeable (or porous) surfacing which allows water to drain through, such as gravel, permeable concrete block paving or porous asphalt, or if the rainwater is directed to a lawn or border to drain naturally.


If the surface to be covered is more than five square metres planning permission will be needed for laying traditional, impermeable driveways that do not provide for the water to run to a permeable area.
http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/pavingfrontgarden/

50Twuncle

This isn't a driveway - we had that concreted over in about 2008 (just before the new planning regs were brought in) - we also already have a paved-over patio - this is just the 2 areas of turfed lawn..
And if it is designed to drain away from the drive (which DOES drain in to the sewers)
Do we need to involve the local authority at all ?
We have nosey neighbours who are bound to enquire if we are doing it correctly......
That link - implies that only FRONT gardens come under the regs - and that anything can be done to the BACK garden without PP ??

martinsurrey

NO restriction on the back garden, but the front garden needs to have provision for drainage

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/patiosdriveways/

^ for the back garden

http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/commonprojects/pavingfrontgarden/

^front garden

ian103

simple solution for the front would be replace the lawn with a decorative gravel or slate, laid on a geotextile membrane (terram 1000) as a weed suppressent. treat the area with a good weedkiller once a year, then minimal maintenance and no planning issues! In the back your choice paving or gravel depending on budget. £5k seems very rich to me - more quotes or change the paving specification or supplier - have you been quoted Marshalls or something similar (very nice and pretty good quality) but cheaper alternatives are available . Get the quotes from reputable local tradesmen not the major national chains who seem now to be property improvement specialists.

50Twuncle

ian103 wrote: »

simple solution for the front would be replace the lawn with a decorative gravel or slate, laid on a geotextile membrane (terram 1000) as a weed suppressent. treat the area with a good weedkiller once a year, then minimal maintenance and no planning issues! In the back your choice paving or gravel depending on budget. £5k seems very rich to me - more quotes or change the paving specification or supplier - have you been quoted Marshalls or something similar (very nice and pretty good quality) but cheaper alternatives are available . Get the quotes from reputable local tradesmen not the major national chains who seem now to be property improvement specialists.

Thanks - part of the problem is that the front garden is on quite a slope and any gravel or shingle is going to end up in a heap under the front window !!
The quote was from a local tradesman ...
The drop is about 2 feet between the front gate and the front of the property.
We considered a railway sleeper under the front window (filled in) to bring the area up more level
but are unsure

anotherbaldrick

Why not use the paving you like but lay the slabs on dabs of morter leaving a 3" gap between all the slabs. Fill the margin gaps with pea shingle. this will allow the surface water to drain into the soil below and meet the criteria of a permeable surface.

ian103

A railyway sleeper will lift the area sufficienly, another option is unilog style wall or railway sleeper for form terracing if the garden is big enough.

If the land falls that sharply back to house, I would be careful in my choise of materilas, as in my opinion its much better to have water falling away from the house. There needs to be a wide gravel margin or a channel drain in front of the house.

The theory behind porous paving is good, but I'm not convinced as to the long term permeability as when the fine gravel clogs up with dust / dirt then it will become as standard paving.

Was the local tradesman an independant or part of a large group. What products is he using (we brought Marshalls paving as thats what OH wanted, when I wanted some other slabs to create a path I found an alternative which was very similar but much cheaper.)

Materials wise you should need max about 8 bags of sub base @ £45/bag, 2 bags sharp sand @ £45/bag, 2 midi skips or a maxi skip @ £170, 45m2 of paving £10 upwards (your choice) and 6 bags cement @ £5/bag. These costs include VAT.

The above materails take no account of edgings, walling etc.

Suggest you get 2-3 more quotes but visit a paving specialist near you and tell the trademan exactly what you want.