A couple of pictures of the plot from before we started the build...

The driveway up to the plot running up the side of an existing house.

And the plot itself - the main area measures about 25m wide and 40m long.

23rd April - Planning approved - off we go.

First job - A tree near the top of the drive needs its roots protecting - before any HGV's use the driveway the roots must be protected from compaction whilst allowing water and oxygen through. However services/service ducts are required to be laid first.

26 meters of service trench must be dug by hand - preserving all roots more than 20mm thick and not leaving the roots exposed for more than 4 days - or allowed to dy out.

The service trench is made good as soon as possible and then a 200mm thick confined cell system is laid (stretched out) on top of the existing driveway. Other than the narrow service trench the driveway is left undisturbed (no dig).

Into the cells a single grade of clean (no fines) granite stone (40/20) is placed. The granite stone interlocks with the cell walls and under load and acts more like a solid sheet spreading wheel loads. A further filter membrane and a thin layer of sacrificial stone (to be removed at the end of the job) is laid on top of the cells.

With the driveway protected the site can be cleared - trees removed, and top soil shifted to the back of the site.