Upgrading rainwater soakaway

[timbr]

Hi. My mid-50s house has an old soakaway made of bricks/rubble around 2m from the building. I would like to upgrade the soakaway using crates, and also so it is further away from the building.

However, I would only be able to get the soakaway 4m max from the building, and I’m aware regulations state minimum 5m.

Essentially I’m trying to understand if I need to follow these regulations if upgrading an old soakaway.

It doesn’t help my understanding when I had a drainage company come out and say it would be fine to install where I’ve mentioned. Would they be wrong to do so?

 

[thomp1983]

Building regulations can only be applied when they are actually possible, there are plenty of soakaways built closer than 5m soley because the property doesn't have 5m of land to build it in.

If it's built properly and sited as best as is practible most building officers will be fine with it.