Driveways Motherwell

S&D provide a full driveway supply and installation service to customers in Motherwell.

New driveways in Motherwell – what you must know!

From 1^st October 2008, there was a significant change that applies to the addition of hard surfaces in front gardens. Whilst it is recognised in increasingly congested suburban and residential streets that off road parking is limited, if you want to add a driveway to the front of your property you can do still do this but, you need to consider the type of materials you use to construct this surface.

The law now states that all hard surfaces in front gardens bigger than 5m² must be eco-friendly in the sense that rainwater should be able to either soak through the material or, run off in a way that means it is soaked into the water table underground. If you don’t do this and water runoff will be heading for the main sewers and drains, you will need planning permission, a process that can take a while and not something you should really be concerned about when it comes creating driveways at Motherwell properties!

The Solution

And so, instead of seeking planning permission for a non-porous driveway, the answer is simple – choose from the vast range of porous materials that allow rain water to filter through material into the ground beneath.

It is thought that the majority of driveways across Motherwell and beyond (70% or more) already drain in a sustainable way and there are many creative ideas for driveways to meet these new laws.

• Porous material – in response to environmental concerns raised many years previously, the industry has been working hard to create a whole new set of materials that are porous, without compromising on strength, structural integrity and robustness.

For example, Motherwell driveways can be made from:

• Permeable pavers that look and act just like the ‘old style’ pavers but in this sense, allow water to filter through them
• Porous concrete has all the strength of ‘normal’ concrete, but small holes and crevices allow rain water to filter through, without eroding it
• There are also drainage solutions such as sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) or rainwater harvesting systems (RWH); both of these systems are open to new driveways in Motherwell as well as for people who are looking to upgrade their existing drive
• Planting – planting flowers and hardy annuals are not just for flower borders but for the driveway too. Gravel driveways at Motherwell properties provide tyre tracks for vehicles, with plants providing a pretty central border and a great way to soak up rainwater!

What about my current driveway?

There is no need to make any alterations to existing driveways in Motherwell but, if you are planning on upgrading, remodelling or installing a new one, you will need to ensure that rainwater runoff is not into the drains…

For FREE information and advice about driveway installation, contact S&D TODAY!