The UK has been blighted with severe flooding in some low-lying areas in the last few years causing millions of pounds worth of damage. Flood defences have since been greatly improved in vulnerable spots along river banks, but recent legislation has been deemed necessary to further improve the situation by outlawing the paving over of front gardens to provide car parking. Several paving companies have responded to this by developing paving with built in drainage to prevent the build up of standing water. Open cell grid paving which can be filled in with gravel or grass is also being more widely used for hard standing, as it offers better surface drainage. Many of them are made from recycled plastics.

A Stormwater Management System comprising of individual infiltration modules assembled together to form an underground structure can be used as either a soakaway or for stormwater storage. More drainage product manufacturers are developing anti-flood valves to prevent the risk of a backflow of foul water into properties.

Despite heavy rainfall at certain times of year we still need to do more to conserve our water supplies. More companies now are offering rainwater harvesting systems and rainwater pipes with run-off chutes to divert rain into water butts.

Most types of drainage products are represented by The Building Centre, these include underground pipes and fittings, rainwater goods, flat roof drainage, surface drainage, soil and waste systems, sewage and effluent treatment. You can order or download technical brochures from our website. 

The Building Centre has an Information Sheet No. 29 entitled ‘Cellular paving’ which lists many of the companies manufacturing and supplying cellular paving for hard standing.