Council requesting full site survey for kitchen extension

[LeoD]

Hi there,

We have a 70's 4 bed bungalow on our own .75 acre site and have applied for PP to add an 88sq/m extension for a kitchen, toilet and home office. The local Council have asked for the following information:
- visual inspection of the septic tank interior to establish form, type, whether or not it is leaking or taking in water, whether t-pieces are in place, dimensions and capacity
- all storm water from the roof and yard traced
- clarification of effluent disposal area
- if a percolation area, the number and length of pipes
- inspection of drains and streams bounding the site (dye test if necessary)
- depth of soil on site and a P/T test carried out

Is this standard practice? It seems a bit OTT for a new kitchen. We are modernising the house significantly but it will still be a 4 bed bungalow when we are finished. I understood that if you were not increasing the number of bedrooms, the existing waste treatment system would be sufficient? Anyone got any advice for us?

Thanks

 

[daithi28]

It's because of the new toilet and home office. Technically, although you are not increasing the loading on the existing septic tank by having a new toilet and office, the office could be converted into an additional (5th) bedroom and this P.E. would need to be included in the calculations for the septic tank and its associated percolation area.

The Planners/Council are ensuring that the system is capable of taking the additional loading that could be associated with an 5th bedroom if it were to be converted. It's not uncommon for Councils to do this.

 

[LeoD]

Thanks Daithi. I spoke to an engineer yesterday about getting a site suitability survey done and he said the same thing as you.