
jumbletons
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Property with limited access, needs to install a 15-16p STP. Wants a Biodisc, which is 2.5m wide. Marsh is 2m, Harlequin 1.6m. Apart from choosing a narrow STP, what else can be done to allow installation with limited access? Smaller machinery for digging and moving the STP into place? The site is behind a shrubbery/trees (yes, I know, not ideal, but it's not mine...) - could the STP be lifted over them?! What's the narrowest you can get away with? They already have a garden gate which must be nearly 1m wide. Just wondering how much more space is needed?
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Is an individual STP worth the investment?
jumbletons replied to jumbletons's topic in Waste & Sewerage
Thank you so much for this, it’s so useful to have an outsider looking in! I will consult my ‘pool guy’ about pipes running alongside it. The outflow is going downhill into a drainage ditch, so the outflow route just follows the fall of the land so it’s gravity drained. I think I’m wrong about the pump actually, ignore that! I think it’s an inspection chamber. But the orchard is suggested as plant location because it is the closest to the house that is a) far enough to meet regs and b) not under a driveway. I own the driveway and the strip of grass the other side of the orchard so access shouldn’t be an issue. -
Is an individual STP worth the investment?
jumbletons replied to jumbletons's topic in Waste & Sewerage
Thank you, this is very helpful. I do feel anxious about the idea of not having control/choice over the system I use. So on balance I prefer going solo -
Is an individual STP worth the investment?
jumbletons replied to jumbletons's topic in Waste & Sewerage
Purple shows existing, blue shows individual - my concern is that it's in the orchard and pipes dug around a pool...so maybe I will push it to be installed beyond the orchard in a strip of grass beyond it, but that will end up being really quite far from the house so rather deep! -
Is an individual STP worth the investment?
jumbletons replied to jumbletons's topic in Waste & Sewerage
I'm back! An update..... So, the neighbours have spent a year being horrendous and refusing anything that gets us to an agreement, while simultaneously accusing my of being unreasonable and uncooperative....but they have finally (a year on) seen sense, and we have 2 options on the table. HOORAH!: 1. Keep existing easement and 3-way shared system at cottage 3. Klargester Biodisc installed as close as possible to existing septic tank. Everything else stays the same. PROS - cheaper, my garden not dug up, less risky CONS - sharing with awful neighbours, installation will need access through my garden, septic tank currently accepts rainwater from 2 roof valleys and neighbours/their installer think that's fine (but I think it can cause STP failure, flushing out and pollution, and maybe void the STP warranty), unlikely to have any choice/say in STP type or installer because neighbours have refused to negotiate anything, ever... 2. Individual system - neighbours have agreed to a legal abandonment document for my property, so I am officially released from the rights/responsibilities of the old easement. I will not put rainwater in my new system - a soakaway will be installed simultaneously. However, the STP will be sited in my orchard (site map to follow). PROS - no rainwater flush out, free from neighbours and associated drama, property sale-ability, choice of system (will be Marsh), CONS - expense, upheaval, risk of something causing issues like the water pipe getting in the way (generally it's a fiddly job and these things never go 100% smoothly), tree root damage risk, 100% of maintenance costs/issue fall on me -
Is an individual STP worth the investment?
jumbletons replied to jumbletons's topic in Waste & Sewerage
Update - My choice is: - shared system with outflow drain on my land. Neighbours unwilling to pay for new easement (just want to update existing with informal signed letter, not update deeds), so solicitor costs on me if they agree to me getting a solicitor to write a new one. Will be Klargester biodisc. Will likely pay 1/3rd costs despite contributing 1/4 towards system size but TBC. - individual system; more cost, more upheaval, more input, more independence...If I go individual I will be using a company who does everything very 'by the book' to protect myself, and use a Marsh system which I'm happy with. I'll update once there's any progress but awaiting a legal letter from the neighbour now 😕 Hoping it just says they're serving notice that the tank will be decommissioned in 1 year's time, as we all agreed... -
Planning permission for new sewage treatment plant?
jumbletons replied to jumbletons's topic in Waste & Sewerage
Fantastic thanks so much, this actually makes sense hoorah!! Just the info I needed 😊 -
Planning permission for new sewage treatment plant?
jumbletons replied to jumbletons's topic in Waste & Sewerage
Yes!! I had the same dilemma with solar panels on my garage, nobody answers the phone and when they do they can’t give advice over the phone. You can’t simply ask if something needs planning permission without having to pay! Money maker for them yes but also money saver as they don’t need staff to be available on the phones to answer such queries -
Planning permission for new sewage treatment plant?
jumbletons replied to jumbletons's topic in Waste & Sewerage
Oh sneaky!! The company who said o don’t need it have been excellent, are very experienced and been around for ages with loads of good reviews so I don’t think they can be wrong! -
Me again. Dreaded planning permission. Can’t get a straight answer on this! Planning department never answer the phone or just say “put in a planning advice request”… New individual STP. About 5m from the house. One installer says I’ll need planning, but with various delays their end + 6w for PP, that’ll mean I won’t get to installing my new system for at least 4-5months! The other installer swears blind I don’t need PP, only building control, and that they do this day in day out (I know it’s annoying when customers question things, but my neighbours WILL make as much trouble as possible so I need everything to be by the book).
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Is an individual STP worth the investment?
jumbletons replied to jumbletons's topic in Waste & Sewerage
Yes I’ve specified that building regs must be OK with the plan first. Thank you, I’ll look into it further. Don’t want to make an expensive mistake! -
Is an individual STP worth the investment?
jumbletons replied to jumbletons's topic in Waste & Sewerage
Hmm, installer says: if we discharge within 10m of existing discharge point we don’t need a new permit. my garden is max 5m, then there’s driveway, then some more of my land. However if neighbours want to keep their drains in use that cross my land, I have to go under them, so if it went all the way to a tank on the opposite end of the driveway, it’s been veeeeery deep 😬🤔He says those rules are outdated and open to interpretation because what if you don’t have 7m long garden. the company has a good reputation and he’s answered a thousand questions from me, so he’s my preferred installer…I did have a quote from another one that would site a Marsh in the orchard opposite the driveway but not sure he knew about the pipes in the way. hmm tricky 🤔Having the neighbours I have, I need everything to be EXACTLY by the book!! Maybe this company is a bit too “just get it done” in attitude -
Is an individual STP worth the investment?
jumbletons replied to jumbletons's topic in Waste & Sewerage
Good points. My land is weirdly laid out, but yes the installer is happy he can install it in my front garden, then dig outflow through driveway (owned by me, neighbour has access rights) and my fields, to my ditch, so no need to go via neighbours. -
Is an individual STP worth the investment?
jumbletons replied to jumbletons's topic in Waste & Sewerage
Yes I prefer to control my own essentials! Yes I’ll need building regs and that’s something the installer will sort -
Is an individual STP worth the investment?
jumbletons replied to jumbletons's topic in Waste & Sewerage
This made me laugh! I definitely wint move, this is my dream come true property and I have an amazing home and life here (plus in three years I’ve put a lot of work into building hen runs, duck runs, compost bays, water collection tanks, fencing, working on compost toilet etc…!)…but when you’re in the middle of an extended family who’ve lived her for 4 generations, you have to be able to stand up for yourself 😂