Question for the building regs experts! Macerator washing facilities?

[PPS]

Hi everyone, 

 

My property in question is split level ground floor and lower ground floor. I am planning on reducing the size of my ground floor bathroom to just a small WC room with toilet and sink. Downstairs in the lower ground floor I have a full sized bathroom with WC, sink, shower all draining into macerator which pumps up to ground level drainage. 

Rules seem pretty clear on the requirement for having at least one gravity draining toilet in the dwelling but not sure about the definition of the 'washing facilities' part... 

 

My question would be, do I still need a gravity fed shower to comply with building regs? or would just having a sink on the ground floor satisfy the regs under this washing facilities definition? 

When reading building regs G5, 5.10.A it says: 

"A sanitary appliance used for personal washing fitted with a macerator and pump may be connected to a small bore drainage system discharging to a discharge stack if: a. there is also access to washing facilities discharging directly to a gravity system"

The way I read this makes me think I can proceed with my plans but I wouldn't want to be wrong... 

 

would be great if someone could share their knowledge on this! 

 

Thanks 

 

Rolo

 

[kandgmitchell]

G4 which requires the provision of wc and hand washing facilities only requires that a gravity WC is available and doesn't mention a washbasin. G5 in contrast mentions a sanitary appliance used for personal washing should be available other than through a macerator. I would suggest therefore that "personal washing" goes above and beyond a washbasin and requires a bath or fixed shower. By all means try the argument that the Key Term "sanitary appliance" includes a washbasin and you could carry out personal washing at such a basin during the period a macerator was out of use. Just don't be surprised if BC don't agree