Permeable Driveways & Paving

It is becoming increasingly important for us to realise how everyday decisions such as creating vehicle parking areas on our properties has an unseen environmental consequence.

In times of heavy or sustained rainfall the drainage system comes under pressure. Recent catastrophic flooding in parts of the UK demonstrated the distressing consequences of system overload and the importance of drainage control.

The permitted development rights allowing householders to pave over their front garden for hardstanding without planning permission have changed. As of 1st October 2008, planning permission will be required to lay traditional impermeable driveways that allow uncontrolled runoff of rainwater from front gardens onto roads, because this can contribute to flooding and pollution of water courses. However, householders will not require permission if they use permeable paving, or have sufficient drainage or soak away to ensure runoff from non-permeable surfaces does not go onto roads.

Living Landscapes is a Marshalls approved driveway and paving installer and can provide a range of permeable paving solutions that allow the infiltration of rainfall into the watercourse in a slow and measured way.

Below are a two of examples of permeable paving solutions we can provide. For a complete range of driveway and paving solutions we are able to supply and install please visit the Marshalls website.

A driveway paving system that enables rainfall to soak into the subsoil where it can drain harmlessly away rather than into hard pressed drains.

Priora Permeable Paving, a Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUDS) System for driveways.

•	The unique patented Priora block allows surface water to pass through into a specially calculated sub base material without compromising the structural performance of the driveway
•	The use of SUDS can reduce the risks of flooding and pollution of the public sewer system especially in times of heavy rainfall
•	Priora block paving is available in six colours from our popular Driveline 50 block paving range. Tegula Priora is a more rustic version available in the three Drivesett Tegula colours

Grassguard – the benefits of a driveway while retaining the look of a lawn

•	Grassguard is a permeable grass grid for domestic hardstanding areas providing a sustainable alternative to traditional block paving
•	Grassguard’s open grid allows grass to grow through the blocks providing a green option for parking
•	Easy to lay with recommended sub base of 150mm MOT Type 1, hardcore, and a bedding regulating layer of sharp sand or pea shingle 25mm thick
•	This sub-base is to contain some humus type material (approx 10%) to support root development and maintain growth during dry periods, although grass may still brown
•	A fine soil or loam with a peat mixture or proprietary compost should be poured in to approximately 30mm below the top surface of the slabs
•	A fine soil or loam with a peat mixture or proprietary compost should be poured in to approximately 30mm below the top surface of the slabs
•	Seed with tough coarse rye grass which as it grows binds the slabs and base materials together to progressively improve structural strength and loadbearing

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Living Landscapes
161 Dover Road
Folkestone
Kent
CT19 6NG

Freephone: 0800 2985829
Telephone: 01303 246696
Mobile: 07739 415498

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