There is an urgent need to educate householders on the current regulations governing new and replacement domestic driveways, suggests new research commissioned by Brett Landscaping. The YouGov survey of 2,280 GB adults, reports that less than 1 in 10 respondents (8%) have noticed any press stories on regulations which came into force one year ago stipulating that homeowners can no longer create or replace their driveways without considering if planning permission is required.
Speaking about the survey results, Andrew Gill of Brett Landscaping said; “There is a growing trend for homeowners to install drives and front garden paving themselves, but it doesn’t appear that there has been enough promotion of the regulations to the consumer. Builders merchants are generally well briefed on the new regulations and are able to provide the necessary advice to homeowners when they know they are planning work which falls under the scope of new regulations. However, merchants may not always be aware that the materials they sell to domestic customers might be for use at the front of properties.
“Clearly more needs to be done to educate homeowners about their responsibilities and their options if they are planning work at the front of their properties. The survey suggests that the Government’s promotion of the new regulations has been too focussed on the industry and assumes that suppliers and manufacturers will educate the homeowner on its behalf.
“This is serious issue and unless it is addressed could lead to some serious consequences, such as people having to replace new drives. There may also be ramifications for people selling houses if they feature new driveways or front gardens which do not meet the new regulations. Considering that it is the responsibility of the homeowner to assess whether they need planning permission, there has clearly not been enough done to promote the regulations to the right audience.”
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