New legislation was passed in October 2008 to prevent the run off of surface rainwater from driveways into roads and residential sewers. Homeowners are responsible for the installation of suitable drainage on residential driveways and failure to comply with these planning laws could lead to additional costs if the Local Authority requires them to be fitted at a later date.

Channel Drainage – this is the most commonly used method of surface water drainage and can be installed adjacent to your property or garage and at the entrance of a driveway to collect surface water and direct it to a void soak-away chamber to allow the water to drain away beneath the driveway.

Soak-away Chamber – this is commonly a chamber built beneath the ground, which is designed to capture surface water and allow it to soak into the surrounding land over a period of time. The capacity of these chambers will vary depending on local soil conditions.

Rain Gardens – this is a relatively new concept in the UK and is becoming more popular. A depression is built in order to collect and store surface water and is usually located along the edge of a driveway or as a large area in a garden at a low point. The depression can be planted with suitable plants to help slow water run-off, or aggregates can be used to create a decorative feature.