Need to pass Percolation Test

F

*fridayluck*

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Howdy Folks...
I've been browsing through this sub forum and have found some really helpful posts concerning my issue.
myself & my partner are now contemplating applying for a 3rd time to the council for planning.
At this stage, I have already been accepted for local needs, access, house design, etc...
But in the last refusal my site's soil test went against me.
The site itself can be sometimes a little wet, but I would put this down to improper and neglected drains that border the field at either end.
I got a soil test done on it last year and it recorded a
P-Value of 35 and it's T Value was 81.
However the eng. decided only to do one drop on the T as it possibly would have gone above 90 if 2 were tested.
This was noticed by the planner who decided to fail it on the basis, it more than likely would have went over 90 if 2 drops were done.
The frustrating thing is that none of this was even mentioned in my first application!
however in my 2nd app, the planner deemed this to be a fail.

We are proposing to install a BAF wastewater treatment system, which I believe doesn't even require a huge amount of soakage?
It was also noted by the percolation eng.s that we would import soil and carry out all essential site works if planning is granted.
This app was in Meath, who's CoCo don't essentially stick with present EPA guidelines, but rather have their own standards (requiring a t value of under 50)

Anyway we have decided to give this another shot....
This time digging, deepening and rejuvenating the 2 drains and hope we get some sort of dry weather, to dry out the site as much as possible.
Then carry out another soil test and see what result we can achieve.

The field is pretty much flat, a little bit low off the road and both drains are in poor condition...
How well do you think baisc site works could help the t value down to a more acceptable <50 score?

Has anyone any advice they can shed on this scenario?

We were contemplating getting the whole site properly ploughed, drained, etc... but it was believed that this might take alot of time, money, etc...
and it might be just as good to at least get the drains in working order again.
(I will add the soil testers advised on inspection they appeared to be in poor condition)

Also... I'd imagine every field in the country is suffering from water logging at this point with our sh!te weather, surely the councils are aware of this??

anyhow: Thanks in advance.
I'm really just trying to gain as much info on the subject as possible.
We've put our life on hold for the past 20 months niggling at the council, to try come this far... I really wanna make this 3rd time lucky!! :)
 
Firstly I wouldn’t plough the ground; it would take the ground too long to recover when you go to build. Ive got the same problem at the moment with our site not getting rid of water (but not near our Percolation area) You may need to put a drainage trench around the boundary making the site an island, but keep any drainage away driveway as this would collapse with traffic, plus obviously keep away from the proposed slab.
It is also possible to import media to make a perculation area, your engineer should be able to help you with this.
 
Thanks Mr. Tayto!
Firstly :

There is a drain to the front of the site and a drain to the back.
Both of them slightly slope down into a small stream that runs the length of the field, although is not technically in our land.
I was going to get both drains cleared, deepened, rejuvenated to allow the field itself to drain out excess water into the bordering stream.
It's quite a large field, so I dunno if a whole island is feasible or even necessary??

Secondly : To the best of my knowledge Meath CoCo. do not allow soil to be imported into sights anymore! I dunno if this is 100% though.
We mentioned in our last 2 apps that we would be possibly importing soil to create a polishing filter.
 
You need to be careful with trying to make a poor site pass a percolation test. Remember you (or whoever) is going to have to live there. If the site is soggy or tends the flood then the chances are this will continue to happen into the future. This will not be a pretty site. I have seen this at at a house where the septic tank was continually overflowing. If there is poor drainage downwards and the water table is high, your best off looking elsewhere!

Remember also, that remedial site works can be extremley expensive. In some cases more than what the purchase of a new site would cost. You should take all this into account when making your decision.
 
You need to be careful with trying to make a poor site pass a percolation test. Remember you (or whoever) is going to have to live there. If the site is soggy or tends the flood then the chances are this will continue to happen into the future. This will not be a pretty site. I have seen this at at a house where the septic tank was continually overflowing. If there is poor drainage downwards and the water table is high, your best off looking elsewhere!

Remember also, that remedial site works can be extremley expensive. In some cases more than what the purchase of a new site would cost. You should take all this into account when making your decision.

Peeete,

I take your points on board and have noticed plenty of people advising this on the board.
However...
My home house is next door, has a conventional septic tank for the past 36 years and has never had any major problems.
Also, directly behind our intended site (divided by a small road), a guy has recently just finished building and he presumably has pretty much the same soil/soakage?
I have never seen our site flood before, even in extreme weather. like I said it does get occasionally wet from bad weather. i put this down to poor drainage, possibly...
I don't intend on looking elsewhere as I have inherited this site and would prefer to live there.
Finally I understand that full on-site works can be expensive, thats why I am getting a basic enough, drain clearing, etc....
from a guy who I know fairly well too.
 
Also, directly behind our intended site (divided by a small road), a guy has recently just finished building and he presumably has pretty much the same soil/soakage?

Why don't you look up this guys results in your local planning office? You will be able to see from this if he also needed remedial works - e.g. importing of soil, etc.
 
Why don't you look up this guys results in your local planning office? You will be able to see from this if he also needed remedial works - e.g. importing of soil, etc.

yeah I plan too.

Only thing is he got his permission in 2006. Since then, or indeed since the last 6 months, Meath have got quite strict re: environmental issues, perc results etc...
but it would be interesting to see that all the same.
 
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