Car Parking in Gardens
Before embarking on the construction of a new car parking area (usually to a front garden) various tests and checks are required, starting with obtaining Planning Permission although many town houses also have parking in rear gardens as well as the front. Although many projects may be straightforward, the answer to questions raised may be complex, depending on many factors, and a site examination or survey of these will determine the viability of progressing with such a commission. You should endeavour to cover all of those permutations, starting with a check list of all of these requirements. The following comments will be applicable to both front and rear car parks.
Widening, Lengthening or Increasing a Parking Area – Water Considerations
Assuming that the garden is not sited in a National Park or Other Special Site which will require Planning permission for virtually any landscape scheme, it is generally held that Planning permission is not required if a new or replacement driveway of any size (you may wish to use the term ‘Driveway’ or ‘Car Park’ whichever you feel best describes the site you are working on. It is best to stick with whichever phrase you begin with to avoid confusion at a later date with Planners) providing that the surface is permeable or porous, allowing water to drain through, such as permeable gravel, concrete block systems or porous asphalt/resin bound gravel, or if the water can drain freely to a suitable border to drain naturally.
The term ‘Car park’ includes any area greater than five square metres, so effectively, any area will be included. The description of permeable or porous comes under the SuDS Legislation (see SuDS Regulations) or Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems, which is a technique that allows water to pass through the joint filling material or paving which must have a permeable foundation. To comply, the base material, laying bed, paving product and jointing compound must all be permeable. It is not acceptable to lay blocks or paving with a permeable jointing compound over an impervious/impermeable foundation. The whole structure must be free draining, not just one element of the construction. Water passing through may be directed into a swale, gulley or soakaway or directed into a suitable storm drain using appropriate channels.
If you are extending an existing area, ensure that the depth of excavation and quantity/quality of the base material and strength of the works matches as closely as possible to the original, otherwise problems may occur with movement, settlement or a defined ‘line’ may appear across the work surface. Bear in mind that the extended area will not be as compacted as the original surface area, and some settlement is to be expected, which may require future adjustment dependent on the type of materials used.
Creating or Widening an Entrance
Planning permission to widen an existing entrance to a car park area is likely to be required for a number of reasons, apart from aesthetics. Widening an entrance may involve new gates or other ground works. Ensure that the area is CAT scanned for drainage pipes, cables and gas pipes before excavating, especially if fitting new gate posts, which may need greater strength/ depth of concrete supports than standard/previous gate posts.
