A new or replacement front driveway can often be permitted development if it uses permeable surfacing or directs rainwater to a lawn or border where it can drain naturally. More than 5m² of impermeable surfacing without that arrangement normally needs planning permission. Separate rules can apply to the property and its access. [1]
It is a drainage test, not a choice of colour
The rule concerns hard surfacing between the principal elevation of the house and the highway. A product's appearance does not establish whether the installed surface is permeable. Specify how water passes through, or where it will run and soak away, rather than describing the finish simply as “block paving”. [1] [2]
There are three broad approaches:
- A permeable or porous surface, supported by an appropriate permeable construction.
- An impermeable surface draining to a suitable planted area or soakaway.
- A combined layout retaining planting and limiting the paved area. [2]
The whole construction matters. Government guidance explains that conventional compacted sub-base containing fine material can obstruct water movement, whereas permeable systems use materials that allow water through and provide storage. The surface and sub-base need to work as one system. [2]
Check whether the ground can receive the water
Consider the site's slope, soil and existing waterlogging before choosing a drainage approach. A narrow border is not a proven drainage solution simply because it appears on the plan. Where infiltration is unsuitable, obtain a designed drainage arrangement and reassess the planning route instead of assuming a pipe to the existing drain preserves permitted-development status. [2]
The design should explain its destination for runoff and how the driveway meets the applicable requirements. Keep the drainage proposal with the surfacing specification so a later material substitution does not undermine the original assessment. [2]
A permeable driveway does not authorise a crossing
New vehicle access over the footway needs the highway authority's approval. The pavement may require strengthening to protect buried services. Removing a boundary wall or gate, or creating supporting terraces, also has to be checked separately from the paving itself. [3]
Local highway specifications may be more restrictive than the national planning rule. For example, Redbridge's published crossing requirements specify permeable construction and a drainage channel across the threshold, and do not accept loose gravel, shingle or pebbles for the parking surface. Gravel's appearance in national permeable-surfacing guidance therefore does not guarantee acceptance for a Redbridge vehicle crossing. [4]
Check the address before ordering the work
The householder allowance does not automatically apply to flats, maisonettes or homes excluded from householder rights. Article 4 directions and planning conditions may also change the position. Significant embanking or terracing requires its own assessment. [1] [3]
Before work starts, resolve three questions in writing: whether the paving is permitted development, whether the vehicle crossing is authorised, and whether the proposed construction meets the highway authority's specifications. A quotation for a new surface does not answer all three. [1] [3] [4]