Plans drawn for Local Authority Planning Permission and Building regulations approval.

A Building Plans Drawing Service

Established  1995

Office  02380 840635

Mobile 07747 831366

Email  richardstummer@hotmail.com

Sewers & Drains

On the 1st October 2011, what were private sewers and lateral drains that were connected to then public sewers on the 1st July 2011, were adopted by the main water authorities and that these pipes became maintainable at public expense. By law, nobody has the right to build over, or close to these pipes as the local water authorities require access to them. In these cases, a ‘build over’ agreement should be sought from the local water authorities before the start of work.

Where a new project is being contemplated, it would be a good idea to try and determine if there are any sewers in your garden near where you want to build. If there are but you are at the start of a run, you may well not require a build over agreement. If your sewer connects to neighbours either side of you, you could require a build over agreement which should be sorted out prior to the start of work. There are and have been some occasions where sewers have been discovered when work has been started and where there was no prior indication that sewers were there at all. Building work then has to stop and the local water authority consulted.

The local water authority will charge you a fee for a build over agreement and these fees vary considerably from one water authority to another.