{"id":23843,"date":"2025-08-25T09:46:39","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T08:46:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tobermore.co.uk\/professional\/?p=23843"},"modified":"2025-08-25T10:08:32","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T09:08:32","slug":"non-permeable-vs-permeable-paving-which-is-better-for-access-roads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tobermore.co.uk\/professional\/blog\/non-permeable-vs-permeable-paving-which-is-better-for-access-roads\/","title":{"rendered":"Non-permeable vs permeable paving: Which is better for access roads?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Both non-permeable <\/span>paving<\/span> and permeable paving <\/a><\/span>can support the loading categories associated with access roads. The installation of both involves tasks such as ground excavation, preparing an appropriate sub base, and using suitable kerbing<\/a>. This means specifiers need to focus on the drainage strategy being implemented on the project when deciding which <\/span>paving<\/span> is<\/span> better for access roads.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If<\/span> the access road on a housing development <\/span>is<\/span> adopted, the Local Authority<\/a> (LA) plays a role in deciding how drainage will be implemented. The Flood Water Management Act<\/span> encourages county councils to adopt Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) for new developments and redevelopments. SuDS is focused on flood risk management by managing rainwater close to where it falls.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Non-permeable <\/span>paving<\/span> and permeable <\/span>paving<\/span> handle surface water in very different ways. Water falling on a non-permeable surface flows unfiltered via road gullies. It is then channelled away into the drainage system.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In contrast, permeable paving <\/span>lets<\/span> water drain through into the sub base beneath at the point at which it falls<\/span> through <\/span>joint filling <\/span>material in paving joints.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Both non-permeable <\/span>paving<\/span> and permeable <\/span>paving<\/span> can be used on SuDS projects. However, permeable <\/span>paving<\/span> can often make the<\/span> requirements of SuDS <\/span>easier<\/span> to a<\/span>chieve<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When compared to non-permeable <\/span>paving<\/span>, the way permeable <\/span>paving<\/span> provides<\/span> drainage for access roads is better aligned with some of the key aims <\/span>of<\/span> SuDS, as the table below illustrates. This makes permeable <\/span>paving<\/span> better suited for access roads where SuDS is a requirement.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nWhy <\/span><\/b>is<\/span><\/b> permeable <\/span><\/b>paving<\/span><\/b> better suited for access roads where SuDS <\/span><\/b>is<\/span><\/b> required?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n