Parcio Ceir
What you must do
Reduce noise, dust and other nuisances from car parks
If your business causes a nuisance to your neighbours, your local council can require you to take steps to reduce or stop the nuisance, or impose restrictions on or stop your operations.
Nuisances from parking areas could include:
- noise and fumes from vehicle engines
- noise from vehicle alarms, eg reversing alarms
- dust from vehicle wheels
- excessive artificial lighting
- vermin
- accumulated windblown rubbish.
You should control these potential sources of nuisance.
See our guidance on noise, odour and other nuisances in:
England on Business Link: Noise, odour and other nuisances
Northern Ireland on NIBusinessInfo: Noise, odour and other nuisances
Scotland on Business Gateway: Noise, odour and other nuisances
Wales on Business.Wales.gov.uk: Noise, odour and other nuisances
Control surface water run-off
Surface water run-off from car parks can cause erosion, pollution and even localised flooding. Run-off may contain pollutants such as:
- oil and fuel
- hydraulic fluids
- suspended solids
- grease
- antifreeze.
You can discharge surface water run-off to surface water drains or watercourses, without a consent or agreement from your water and sewerage company or authority, as long as it is not contaminated. If you want to discharge contaminated water to watercourses you must first have permission from your environmental regulator.
If you have a small car park, and you only use it for parking cars, you can discharge surface water run-off directly. However, if you have a larger car park, you should remove oil, grease, petrol and diesel from run-off by passing it through an oil separator before you discharge it. You should also use an oil separator for any run-off from areas used for more polluting activities, such as vehicle servicing.
PPG 3 Use and design of oil separators in surface water drainage systems
You must not allow contaminated run-off to enter surface water drains, watercourses or groundwater. This will cause pollution and you could be prosecuted.
See our guidance on water pollution in:
England on Business Link: Preventing water pollution
Northern Ireland on NIBusinessInfo: Preventing water pollution
Scotland on Business Gateway: Preventing water pollution
Wales on Business.Wales.gov.uk: Preventing water pollution
If your surface water run-off is contaminated, you may be able to discharge it to a public combined sewer. But you will need a consent or agreement from your water and sewerage company or authority if you wish to discharge to a separate foul sewer.
See our guidance on trade effluent in:
England on Business Link: Discharging trade effluent
Northern Ireland on NIBusinessInfo: Discharging trade effluent
Scotland on Business Gateway: Discharging trade effluent
Wales on Business.Wales.gov.uk: Discharging trade effluent
Water UK: Water and sewerage operators
If you clean vehicles on your car park, you must not allow run-off to enter surface water drains, surface waters or ground waters. If someone else cleans vehicles on your car park, it is your responsibility to ensure that they do not cause pollution.
Good practice
Use an oil separator in your surface water drains to remove oil, grease, petrol and diesel from surface water run-off.
PPG 3 Use and design of oil separators in surface water drainage systems
Use catchpots or silt traps on drains, and ensure that they are in place and working effectively during cleaning. Empty them at regular intervals.
Encourage staff and visitors to use public transport or car share.
