The government's Draft Flood and Water Management Bill, which will apply to England and Wales, raises a number of important issues for permeable paving and SUDS. Interpave has published its response, which can be downloaded from the link below, with the aim of ensuring that they can be delivered realistically and clearing up conflicts with other regulations.
In its consultation response, Interpave considers that a different approach is needed for permeable paving, which is unlike other ‘soft’ landscaping SUDS techniques and is often used in isolation, as well as part of a SUDS scheme. It uses established engineering technology with predictable performance proven over decades in the UK and abroad. For example, when it comes to adoption, while most SUDS techniques fall outside the immediate highway area, permeable paving simply provides a sustainable alternative to conventional paving with piped drainage, but on the same footprint. So, at adoption it will itself become the highway and it should be treated in just the same way as conventional highways and associated drainage.
Interpave welcomes proposed changes which will require planning permission for paving to front gardens of existing homes unless permeable systems are used. But other sustainable solutions are available to achieve the same result which should also be encouraged with permitted development rights - for example using impermeable paving draining onto ‘raingardens’ - and Interpave already has design guidance available: Click
here Permeable paving in front gardens may be considered by some to conflict with Building Regulations Part H which requires infiltration devices to be 5 metres away from buildings and roads. Interpave has pointed out that this requirement should not apply to permeable paving and has requested government clarification or a change to the regulations.
