Our communal driveway is looking a bit worse for wear. Lookking for a bit of advice regardring permeable surfaces suitable for it.

The drive comes off the main road at 90 degrees, along a flat section for about 10m or so, then 90 left up abut a 10% slope, 90 right along the front of the cottages, servicing 6 households, 7 or 8 vehicles.

It’s currently gravelled, mostly, which is OK on the flat sections, but the slope is probably about 50% covered now as most of it has migrated reavealing the very degraded tarmac beneath (of which I thought the previous owners removed before laying the gravel).

Problem is that it’s in a conservation area, next to a canal. So we need to keep it permeable and not create point source runoff to the canal, which rules out block paving, concrete and tarmac.

any options?

What about running drainage gullys at the bottom of the slopes?

Speak to a firm that specialises in driveways, they will have a solution for this problem.

having said that – how about using slate chippings, the chippings tend to lie flat, and wont roll like gravel .

So we need to keep it permeable and not create point source runoff to the canal, which rules out block paving[

Does it though?

45 sec in…..

[video]https://youtu.be/5rsODZXPyCY[/video]

I like that chip stuff. Don’t know how much it would cost for a bit area though, potentially fortunes.

Edit – this stuff http://www.clearstonepaving.co.uk/resin-bound-gravel/

I’ve got a sloping driveway and I’m getting resin bound done in a few weeks – it is a permeable option with no need for planning (open textured tarmac and Type 3 MOT), but even on a slope, you will need drainage for any serious rain.

..if that helps at all.

I remember seeing a video of a Tarmac product that was permeable tarmac; a chap was squirting a hose on it and it all just disappeared.

I have no idea whether it is heinously expensive / even actually a product and not a concept / acceptable to whoever makes the rules, but it looked interesting…

Drainage channel and soakaway area will work just as well – and I bet it will cost a lot less…

I’ve got a sloping driveway and I’m getting resin bound done in a few weeks – it is a permeable option with no need for planning (open textured tarmac and Type 3 MOT), but even on a slope, you will need drainage for any serious rain.

I did think about resin bound, as block and tarmac would upset the planning dept.

I think that base slope drainage would definitely be needed, but I’m a little cautious about material breakaway at the base where it joins the drain.
I guess there’s not much in the way of options when it comes to that as what I forgot to mention is that the bottom of the slope, the bit between the slope and the road is owned by the canals (whatever they are called now), so we’d need to finish the slope and stop.

I’d be interested to hear your experience with resin bound, bearnecessities. and the kinda costs involved.

cheers

It’ll be a while before I can report real world experience, but it’s not as astronomically expensive as people think, for what (I’ve come to the conclusion anyhow) is the best option available for surfacing.

Cost wise, I’m spending £125 sqm, including all groundwork, uv stable resin, edgings and steps. I have bled every penny out of them though at that price – established & reputable local company, but gives you an idea of best case scenario. I costed up doing it myself and that price was a no brainier!

This is resin bound btw, not resin bonded which is less durable and not permeable. Happy to share some snaps when done.

but I’m a little cautious about material breakaway at the base where it joins the drain.

I wouldn’t. From my reading, all problems come from laying onto concrete (impermeable & then frost heave) or just bad prep.