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HOW YOU CAN HELP LIMIT FLOODING
Many of us have nicely paved patios or front gardens.
It means you don't have to cut the grass, it makes it easier to park your car,
and lots of other things. But did you know that it also causes a higher risk of flooding?
Bad for drainage
The water that no longer can soak into the soil stays on the surface and eventually
ends up in the drain or a stream. If you do have a drain on the site, it still means that this drain
and the sewer system will have to take more water than if there was uncovered soil. That means
there is a higher risk of flooding.
Green front and back gardens are better
If you already have a paved-over front garden, consider removing some of that pavement and using
two lanes of pavement instead if you want to park your car easily and don't want to go "all natural".
Using gravel between the strips of pavement is much better for drainage than paving over the entire area with
asphalt or concrete. Green your back garden too, if you can, and remove at least some of those stone or concrete slabs.
Habitat and biodiversity
If you have plans to put decking or some other cover in your back garden or front garden, keep in mind
that you will also remove habitat when you do so. You'll destroy a piece of your local ecosystem.
You may, for example, have heard of the declining number of sparrows. That could well be related to
the increasing number of paved-over front gardens as well as the resulting decrease in insect numbers
(see this BBC page).
Planning permission needed to pave your front garden
But there is more. Did you know that in the UK, you actually need planning permission if you want to cover your
front garden with asphalt? DEFRA announced new legislation in 2008 and it came into force in 2009.
Keeping your front garden green is cheaper
Last but not least, keep in mind that permeable pavement (instead of asphalt) not only is expensive,
its pores may clog up over time. So do yourself a favor, and go with gravel, or with just two lanes
of pavement. If you currently do have a green garden, do nothing at all and use a hand mower to keep
yourself and that lawn in good shape.
More information
For more information about planning permission in Portsmouth, UK, see:
