Portable Wheel Wash

[Barny]

Hi. 
 

Our planning officer is putting a condition that we need to have a portable wheel wash system in place throughout demolition and the whole construction phase. 
 

Is this normal and has anyone had one?
 

All I can find on the internet are big things used for capital infrastructure projects not a single self build. They also cost £1500per week to hire which is obviously completely mad given “construction” could take up to a year.

 

Thanks

 

[markc]

6 minutes ago, Barny said:

Hi. 
 

Our planning officer is putting a condition that we need to have a portable wheel wash system in place throughout demolition and the whole construction phase. 
 

Is this normal and has anyone had one?
 

All I can find on the internet are big things used for capital infrastructure projects not a single self build. They also cost £1500per week to hire which is obviously completely mad given “construction” could take up to a year.

 

Thanks

 

Getting more common. You don’t need a big commercial drive through unit, there are small ones, basically a catch tank to collect the sludge, pressure washer and you do the cleaning manually. I don’t know who hires the small ones but a couple of local sites have dug a big hole, dropped a skip in and have some heavy duty ramps over the top.

[torre]

We didn't have this as a specific separate condition, but did have a pre-commencement condition to provide a construction method statement with 'wheel washing facilities' listed as one of the points to cover.

 

In our CMS we said:

Quote

To ensure vehicle wheels are left clean prior to leaving site, especially during the groundworks phase, the Contractor will implement a wheel cleaning
facility next to the site exit. Specifically a jet wash will be available to clear vehicle tyres of any mud or debris as needed to reduce mud and dust being transferred off the site onto public roads.

 

... and that was good enough for approval in our case - hopefully it'll be similar for you as a self build.

 

It's in your interest to do something along those lines anyway, to avoid disruption for neighbours and the risk of accidents if dirt is dragged onto the road.

(There is an appeal process against conditions that are too onerous - it doesn't seem proportionate to add a £1500/week overhead on a self build)

[Russell griffiths]

A portable wheel wash could be a bucket of water and a brush. 

They cannot stipulate what you use, but you must ensure no dirt is carried out onto the highway. 

 

So. provide a hardstanding on site where the trucks park to be loaded, ensure it slopes back into the site and not onto the road, provide a house and brush, 

if a vehicle is parked on a hard water free surface it won’t take muck onto the road, if you allow them to turn the site into a swamp and drive on the road then expect trouble. 

 

Its really fairly simple, demolition contractor digs out a large area and brings house down, crush the brick n concrete and compact into this hole, that’s your hard standing, no brick or concrete needs to leave site. 

[Barny]

Thanks all. I was hoping a jet wash would be all that is needed. I will definitely draft a statement to share with contractors to make sure they clean up before driving off. We are very lucky we have a good site for hard standing.

 

I completely appreciate the councils point of view as neighbours are building and there is mud all up the road from vans parking on the verges, not to mention the 2 flat tyres I have had from

screws and nails on the road. I keep saying we will not be like that.