NHBC Standards 2006

9.2 Drives, paths and landscaping

SCOPE

This Chapter gives guidance on meeting the Technical Requirements and recommendations for private roads, shared private drives, private drives, car parking areas, paths and landscaping.

DESIGN STANDARDS

9.2 - D1Design standards
9.2 - D2Provision of access
9.2 - D3Freestanding walls and retaining structures
9.2 - D4-D7Garden Areas
9.2 - D8Landscaping
9.2 - D9-D10Provision of information

9.2 - D1
Design shall meet the Technical Requirements
 

Design that follows the guidance below will be acceptable for private roads, drives, paths and landscaping.

In this Chapter "home" includes a house, bungalow, flat or maisonette. The "garden area" is the land within the curtilage up to 20m from the habitable parts of the home (i.e. not garages/outbuildings). This distance is measured from the external walls.

PROVISION OF ACCESS

9.2 - D2
Adequate access shall be provided to and around the home
 

Access should include the provision of private roads, shared private drives, private drives, car parking areas and paths as appropriate.

Items to be taken into account include:

(a) private roads, shared private drives, private drives and car parking areas

Where a private road, shared private drive, private drive or car parking area is constructed to provide access to, or around, a home it should be constructed to carry the likely loads from vehicles using it.

Drives forming part of the approach to certain entrances should comply with relevant Building Regulations.

Drives should be designed to permit a motor car reasonable access to and from a garage or car parking area.

Foundations, constructions and drainage suitable for private roads, shared private drives, private drives and car parking areas are given in Appendix 9.2-A.

Private roads, shared private drives and private drives should have a maximum gradient of 1:6. Where the gradient is more than 1:10 and the gradient changes, suitable transition lengths should be provided to reduce the risk of vehicles grounding. See Appendix 9.2-A.

(b) paths

Every home should have a path or paths within the curtilage to provide pedestrian access to the main entrance and a secondary entrance where present.

A path to a secondary access door is not required where entry to the home can be gained directly from a garage.

A path to a secondary entrance of a mid-terrace home or ground floor flat is not required.

Paths to certain entrances should comply with relevant Building Regulations.

If a garage, carport or car parking area is provided within the curtilage, a path should be provided to it from the home. Where appropriate, a drive can be regarded as a path for the provision of all or part of this access.

Path widths should be not less than the following

  • within curtilage to main or any entrance designated by Building Regulations
900mm
  • paths used for the removal of refuse to the collection point 
900mm
  • paths adjoining a home
700mm
  • where path is 100mm or more from the wall of a home
600mm
  • all other cases
600mm

Paths should have gradients not exceeding 1:6. On steeper sloping ground, steps may need to be introduced at intervals to ensure that the maximum gradient of the path is not exceeded.

Foundations and constructions suitable for paths are given in Appendix 9.2-A.

(c) steps

Steps should be in accordance with Sitework clause 9.2 - S7.

(d) handrails and guarding to paths and steps

Handrails and guarding should be provided in accordance with Sitework clause 9.2 - S7.

FREESTANDING WALLS AND RETAINING STRUCTURES

9.2 - D3
Where provided, freestanding walls and retaining structures shall be adequate for their intended purpose
 

Items to be taken into account include:

(a) design

Freestanding walls should be designed in accordance with:

BS 5628Code of practice for use of masonry, or
BRE Good Building Guide 14.
 
All retaining structures, more than 600mm high, should be designed by an Engineer in accordance with Technical Requirement R5. Gabion and crib structures should not be used to provide support to homes, garages, roads, drives, car parking areas and drainage systems.

Retaining structures should be designed in accordance with:

BS 5930Code of practice for site investigations, and
BS 8110Structural use of concrete, or
BS 5628Code of practice for use of masonry.
 
Where appropriate, brickwork and blockwork retaining walls may be designed in accordance with BRE Good Building Guide 27.

(b) guarding

Guarding should be provided where structures are retaining land more than 600mm high to which people have access.

Where steps and guarding are provided they should be designed in accordance with Sitework clause 9.2 - S7.

(c) planters

Where planters are provided they should be designed to adequately support the volume of retained soil and the plant species.

GARDEN AREAS

9.2 - D4
Garden areas shall be stable
 

Items to be taken into account include:

(a) slopes

Unless the stability of new or existing slopes has been determined by an Engineer in accordance with Technical Requirement R5 the following maximum gradients apply:

  • unsupported granular soil should be 5° less than its natural angle of repose
  • unsupported cohesive soil should not exceed 9° (1:6).

(b) retaining structures

Where it is necessary to provide retaining structures to ensure the stability of the ground they should be designed in accordance with Clause D3.

9.2 - D5
Garden areas within 3m of the habitable part of the home shall not be waterlogged
 

Waterlogging of garden areas within 3m of the habitable part of the home should be prevented by drainage or other suitable means.

9.2 - D6
Reasonable access shall be provided to garden areas
 

Access by steps or other suitable means should be provided to garden areas where appropriate. Access is not required to small isolated garden areas such as narrow strips of land at the top or bottom of retaining walls.

9.2 - D7
Patios and decking shall be suitable for their purpose
 

Items to be taken into account include:

(a) patios

Foundations and constructions suitable for patios are given in Appendix 9.2-A.

(b) timber decking

Timber used in the construction of decking should either be naturally durable or treated with preservative. See Chapter 2.3 'Timber preservation (natural solid timber)' (each section).

Decking and its support should be in accordance with guidance published by the Timber Decking Association or designed by an Engineer in accordance with Technical Requirement R5.

LANDSCAPING

9.2 - D8
Possible future damage to the home caused by planting shall be minimised
 

Where trees or shrubs have been removed, are to be retained or are to be planted by the builder, precautions should be taken to reduce the risk of future damage to homes and services. These include:

  • allowing sufficient space to preserve root systems
  • allowing for root spread and water depletion, especially on clay soils
  • allowing for the effects of water uptake where trees have been removed, especially on clay soils
  • allowing for the future effects of tree and root growth
  • providing foundation depths sufficient to allow for existing and new trees.

Guidance is given in Chapter 4.2 'Building near trees' and BS 5837.

PROVISION OF INFORMATION

9.2 - D9
Designs and specifications shall be produced in a clearly understandable format and include all relevant information
 

All works relating to drives, paths and landscaping should be fully specified.

9.2 - D10
All relevant information shall be distributed to appropriate personnel
 

Ensure that relevant design and specification information is issued to site supervisors and relevant specialist subcontractors and/or suppliers.