Percolation Tests provides BRE365 soakaway percolation testing and foul infiltration testing across Ludlow and the surrounding South Shropshire countryside.
We are based in Wolverhampton, about 29 miles away, and Ludlow is well inside the area we cover as standard. We have carried out 25 tests within fifteen miles of Ludlow and 171 within twenty-five, so the ground around the town is familiar to us.
Ground conditions in Ludlow
Ludlow sits at the confluence of the Rivers Teme and Corve on a mix of sandstone and mudstone geology, with the surrounding South Shropshire hills adding further variation depending on elevation and rock type. As a largely rural area with a high proportion of properties on private drainage, foul infiltration testing is just as common a requirement here as surface water percolation testing.
The older mudstones and sandstones around Ludlow weather to variable depths, and the amount of superficial cover changes quickly across a plot. Valley floors often carry alluvium and river gravels that behave completely differently from the slopes above them. Sloping sites bring a second consideration: a soakaway has to be positioned so that what it discharges does not resurface further down or affect a neighbouring property, which sometimes matters more than the raw infiltration figure.
What we test for
- BRE365 percolation testing for surface water soakaway design
- Foul effluent infiltration testing (Part H) for septic tanks and treatment plants
- Drainage strategy support for planning submissions
What a BRE365 test involves
The method comes from BRE Digest 365, and it takes longer than most people expect. It is not one hole and a stopwatch.
- Trial pits are dug where the soakaway is proposed and taken below its intended base. How many depends on the size of the site and what the drainage design needs.
- Each pit is filled to at least 75% of its effective storage depth before timing begins.
- Each pit is then filled and timed three separate times, recording how long the water takes to fall from 75% to 25% of the effective storage depth.
- The slowest result is the one used, so the design is based on the worst case rather than a flattering one.
Because every pit is tested three times and has to drain fully in between, a proper test is not an hour’s work. We would rather tell you a site is unsuitable than hand over a figure that will not stand up at planning.
Planning conditions in Ludlow
Applications in the Ludlow area are dealt with by Shropshire Council, and drainage conditions are attached routinely — particularly on rural plots, barn conversions and self-builds with no mains surface water connection. The condition normally asks for infiltration testing to BRE365 and a soakaway design based on the result, approved before work starts.
Testing early is worth the trouble. If infiltration turns out not to be viable the drainage strategy has to change, and discovering that after the groundworks are priced is an expensive surprise.
Septic tanks and foul drainage
Surface water and foul drainage are tested differently, and the results are not interchangeable. A drainage field for a septic tank or treatment plant is sized using BS 6297, which Part H of the Building Regulations refers to. If your site near Ludlow needs both a soakaway and a drainage field, we can carry out both tests in one visit rather than two.
What you receive
- A full report with the recorded times for every pit and every fill
- The calculated infiltration rate, ready to hand to your engineer or planner
- Trial pit locations and depths
- Photographs of the testing on site
- A clear statement of whether a soakaway is viable, and if not, why not
Coverage
We test across Ludlow and the surrounding rural South Shropshire villages. Available Monday to Friday.
Get a quote
Contact us for a free, no-obligation quote for percolation or infiltration testing anywhere in Ludlow. Call 01902 475653 or request a quote online.
Percolation testing around Ludlow
Each dot is a site we have tested. 8 within ten miles of Ludlow, 129 within twenty-five.
Also serving Shropshire
This page is part of our coverage across Shropshire, which also includes:
Recent work near Ludlow
