Driveways/Front Gardens

Following concern that rainwater was not filtering down into the soil and topping up underground water levels, the Government brought in legislation which requires rainwater falling on new front driveways to reach the ground underneath.

You don’t need planning permission to build or replace a driveway of any size if:

• You use permeable (or porous) surfacing, e.g. gravel, permeable concrete block paving or porous asphalt
• The rainwater flows to a lawn or border to drain naturally.

If you cover more than five square metres using traditional materials that don’t let water through, you need planning permission.

These rules apply to the area of land between the front walls of the house and the highway.

In addition to the Government stipulation above, the WBC Borough Design Guide states on page 57 that “Parking spaces in front gardens must be paved with permeable surfaces….and ..include space for soft landscape”

The retention of soft landscaping in front gardens in Whitegates is important to minimise the  “impact on street scene and  local character” as stated on page 57 of the Borough Design Guide.

ACER requests that soft landscaping should include trees, bushes or other plants which are tall enough to be visible when driving down the road.