Knowledge of Building Regs / Sewerage Regs / Similar
Discussion
After finally getting planning permission sorted for a house renovation, and the builders starting on the groundwork, the building regs WAS all going to go through... until Unitied Utilities have come back saying that the extension (going into the back garden) is going to be within 5.5m of a main sewer (11" wide job - allegedly towards the back of the garden - still waiting on sewer plans to be sent through).
Anybody who's done renovations/extensions/new builds/similar know how likely I am to be able to come to some arrangement over this? Anybody had similar problems? The extension is only 3m, so worst case is I'm leaving 2.5m+ access to it, and could easily pull the extension back by 1-2ft to make it 3m+ access. They have 100ft+ access to it on the other side.
Wouldn't normally post on this, but it could be financial doom for me if I can't figure something out!
Thanks all...
Anybody who's done renovations/extensions/new builds/similar know how likely I am to be able to come to some arrangement over this? Anybody had similar problems? The extension is only 3m, so worst case is I'm leaving 2.5m+ access to it, and could easily pull the extension back by 1-2ft to make it 3m+ access. They have 100ft+ access to it on the other side.
Wouldn't normally post on this, but it could be financial doom for me if I can't figure something out!
Thanks all...
Right now I'd settle for a few £k bill to ensure there's no pressure put onto it from foundations, etc, and to shut them up! Just wondering if anybody's ever got away with that or if the 5.5m rule is an absolute? (Or 6m as it appears to be with other councils after a bit of Googling). And whether most councils count that as X metres either side, or X/2 metres either side. Etc. Etc.
I can't understand how planning permission got granted for the work if this is the case, either?!?
I can't understand how planning permission got granted for the work if this is the case, either?!?
- feels sick with the agro this place is causing*
As Plotloss says, the chances are they are more concerned about damage to the sewer - either by excavation or pressure from the foundations.
I've done an office block in Leeds (Kirkstall Road end of the Headrow, if you're ever visiting) that sits bang on top of one of the city's main sewers (a Victorian brick jobby you could walk down!), by designing the foundations to span over the top of it using ground beams.
Back in the real world, though, don't expect them to so you any favours for a domestic extension.
It depends on the nature and depth of the sewer, though; ultimately, you're just going to have to talk to them and see what they might be willing to accept.
I've done an office block in Leeds (Kirkstall Road end of the Headrow, if you're ever visiting
) that sits bang on top of one of the city's main sewers (a Victorian brick jobby you could walk down!), by designing the foundations to span over the top of it using ground beams.Back in the real world, though, don't expect them to so you any favours for a domestic extension.
It depends on the nature and depth of the sewer, though; ultimately, you're just going to have to talk to them and see what they might be willing to accept.
Edited by Sam_68 on Wednesday 13th February 18:40
Cheers matey.
Looking at the none-too-detailed plans they've provided of the sewers and overlaying it on top of the architect's view of the plot, there should be at least 3.5m of space before I even start scaling down the extension. Fingers crossed there'll be a reasonable-human-being (TM) dealing with this. Just won't hold my breath...
Looking at the none-too-detailed plans they've provided of the sewers and overlaying it on top of the architect's view of the plot, there should be at least 3.5m of space before I even start scaling down the extension. Fingers crossed there'll be a reasonable-human-being (TM) dealing with this. Just won't hold my breath...
Whenever I've looked at my local council's online planning pages, specifically the planning committee's section (it gets quiet at work sometimes...), people applying for planning permission (or more often their agents) provide maps with the planning application that show any sewer easements in the vicinity if necessary - and such maps are rarely seen on there.
It seems to be OK to build access roads over a sewer easement, but not buildings. These sewer easements tend to (literally) cover main sewers draining several thousand properties, and not an 11" (or whatever the OP wrote) sewer.
Summat fishy here, I'd say, that United Utilities flagged this up after planning permission was given and not before. Would they have been consulted while the application for planning permission was ongoing, and they have just replied?
It seems to be OK to build access roads over a sewer easement, but not buildings. These sewer easements tend to (literally) cover main sewers draining several thousand properties, and not an 11" (or whatever the OP wrote) sewer.
Summat fishy here, I'd say, that United Utilities flagged this up after planning permission was given and not before. Would they have been consulted while the application for planning permission was ongoing, and they have just replied?
Cheers again, all. 
Sadly, 7 days on, I've STILL not got to speak to an engineer at United Utilities about this - they just keep promising one will phone.
E21Jason: They're disputing that I should be allowed to do the work at all given the proximity to a sewer and the access they require, rather than issues of me damaging it, unfortunately.
AW51: Having got the plans through, and a copy of the letter they wrote to Building Regs on this, it's only a 10" pipe, so I can't imagine there being an easement at all.
Looking at Severn Trent's website (this kind of information isn't given on United Utilities), there's the following: "For small diameter sewers up to 300mm (12"
we consider that close means building within 3 metres of the centerline of the sewer. This increases to 5 metres for larger sewers."
I'd *hope* the same applies to the various utility companies.
This definitely seems a bit fishy that they're getting involved at this stage rather than planning, but it does mention (on the S.T. website, again), that they liaise on building regs. Bit peeved as to why my architect didn't do a search on this months ago, mind! And why this wasn't mentioned when I bought the property in all the searches.
A-W: I'm hoping it's 3m for such a piddly little pipe, I really am!
ginettag27: Thanks for the offer, I'll drop you a mail!
Sadly, 7 days on, I've STILL not got to speak to an engineer at United Utilities about this - they just keep promising one will phone.
E21Jason: They're disputing that I should be allowed to do the work at all given the proximity to a sewer and the access they require, rather than issues of me damaging it, unfortunately.
AW51: Having got the plans through, and a copy of the letter they wrote to Building Regs on this, it's only a 10" pipe, so I can't imagine there being an easement at all.
Looking at Severn Trent's website (this kind of information isn't given on United Utilities), there's the following: "For small diameter sewers up to 300mm (12"
we consider that close means building within 3 metres of the centerline of the sewer. This increases to 5 metres for larger sewers."I'd *hope* the same applies to the various utility companies.
This definitely seems a bit fishy that they're getting involved at this stage rather than planning, but it does mention (on the S.T. website, again), that they liaise on building regs. Bit peeved as to why my architect didn't do a search on this months ago, mind! And why this wasn't mentioned when I bought the property in all the searches.
A-W: I'm hoping it's 3m for such a piddly little pipe, I really am!
ginettag27: Thanks for the offer, I'll drop you a mail!
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