Paving front gardens ‘creating an eyesore’

2:50pm Friday 28th September 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Elizabeth Sweetman, @lizsweetmanWN #worcsnews

Paving front gardens ‘creating an eyesore’ Paving front gardens ‘creating an eyesore’

CONCERNS have been raised that an “attractive” part of Worcester could become more “industrial looking” if people continue to pave over their front gardens for parking.

Worcestershire councillor Andy Roberts , who represents Warndon Villages, highlighted parking issues in the area.

Coun Roberts said residents regularly complain about cars parked on pavements but there is nothing the police can do unless the vehicles are causing an obstruction.

But he said if the trend for converting gardens into paving continues, it could turn the “very attractive” environment into something “more industrial looking”.

Coun Roberts said: “I recognise there are tensions in modern living and I understand why some people choose to have a parking space rather than a front garden.

However, I think that gardens should be retained whenever possible and if this cannot be done the impact should be softened.”

He also raised issues that hard surfaces could worsen problems of flooding, with an increased amount of water running off the paving, harm the environment by contributing to global warming and harm wildlife by removing an ecosystem for insects.

Coun Roberts said: “Because it is made up of local people from throughout the area the parish council holds a unique position.

“It is for the council to decide its actions but perhaps, when changes are felt necessary, neighbours could be encouraged to work together to see any adverse impact minimised.

“Then, if front gardens must be removed, the resident could be asked to save some planted area, whether it is a border, bed or planter.”

Coun Dave Long said they would highlight the issue in the next parish newsletter.

Comments(10)

FourWFR says...
3:09pm Fri 28 Sep 12

"He also raised issues that hard surfaces could worsen problems of flooding, with an increased amount of water running off the paving, harm the environment by contributing to global warming and harm wildlife by removing an ecosystem for insects"

Ahh, the good old 'Global warming' blag, it must be true if the powers tell us this..

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Fog Based Japery says...
3:24pm Fri 28 Sep 12

You can't tell people what to do with their own land. Full stop, keep your mouth shut and get on with your own life.

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skychip says...
3:24pm Fri 28 Sep 12

I thought parking on the pavement was an offence, obviously only if it causes an obstruction. I think the trouble is these days whereas once it would have been an offence the Police do not have the resources to deal with it.

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MrWXYZ says...
3:43pm Fri 28 Sep 12

So a street of overgrown grass you can't really see because of cars parked all over the footpath isn't an eyesaw?
But a street with all the cars parked on private property is?

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Maggie Would says...
4:32pm Fri 28 Sep 12

Fog Based Japery wrote:
You can't tell people what to do with their own land. Full stop, keep your mouth shut and get on with your own life.
Actually, you can in some circumstances. Some front garden treatments in front of the building line require planning permission.
.
As far as block paving is concerned, it's dead ugly, but if laid loose in sand it allows rainwater to percolate through and therefore doesn't add to flooding problems.
.
A gravel drive is more tasteful and is even better at dealing with rainfall, but there are attendant problems with spread and weeds.

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The Doosra says...
5:33pm Fri 28 Sep 12

Maggie Would wrote:
Fog Based Japery wrote:
You can't tell people what to do with their own land. Full stop, keep your mouth shut and get on with your own life.
Actually, you can in some circumstances. Some front garden treatments in front of the building line require planning permission.
.
As far as block paving is concerned, it's dead ugly, but if laid loose in sand it allows rainwater to percolate through and therefore doesn't add to flooding problems.
.
A gravel drive is more tasteful and is even better at dealing with rainfall, but there are attendant problems with spread and weeds.
A decent weed-suppressing membrane should do the trick.

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New Kid on the Block says...
6:49pm Fri 28 Sep 12

Any new Block Paving adjacent to a road (e.g. a driveway) larger than 5sq metres should be of the new permeable type of block. These have nibs that produce larger gaps and are laid on gravel not sand. Any impermeable surface has required planning permission since Oct 2008.
When installed properly these blocks allow water to pass straight through. There are no puddles and they can be laid flat with no slope to encourage water to run off. The only down side is that the gaps between blocks allow weeds to root more easily than traditional blocks.

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Biggles says...
12:45am Sat 29 Sep 12

Parking on the pavement has never been an offence, as far as I know, just the obstruction is an offence.
.
Driving on the pavement is an offence.
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Parking hasn't been within Police duristriction within Worcester for quite some time now
.
All credit to those who block pave their land so it can be used for parking, it has to be better than those that wish public roads to become their private parking areas via residents parking schemes

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mayall8808 says...
8:12am Sat 29 Sep 12

Police do not even do anything when there is an obstruction on a path, not by me anyway,
Its the age of the car and if its safer to put it on your own drive whatever its made of that's it,
I do think that with the type of heavy rainfall we get nowadays block drives etc do divert that water elsewhere and that's what adds to the surface floods we seem to get more of now.

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Jabbadad says...
12:17am Sun 30 Sep 12

Interesting to see how those who alter their front gardens to allow cars to be parked, but then don't have the kerb lowered, are breaking the law by driving across a foot path or not?
I thought that it was compulsory to have the kerb lowered?

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