In message , at 23:02:35 on
Sun, 8 Apr 2012, Charles Ellson remarked:
Compulsory purchase powers are available to local and national
government and to various other bodies under a range of legislation
and for varying purposes. Property will not always pass by purchase,
e.g. some of my drains are now the property (along with responsibility
for repair and upkeep) of the local water company due to recent
legislation affecting common drains.

The correct term is "sewer", not "drain".

"Private sewers and lateral drains" it says here.

Exactly. That's the terminology which has no space for the concept of
"common drains".

The description two above ignores the different treatment of common
and non-shared drains so there is a dirty great interpretative hole
available to put "common drains" in.

Common Drain is an oxymoron, because as soon as it's shared it becomes a
sewer.

The phrase "common drain" might
(or might not?) be missing from the water/sewerage companies' leaflets
but it certainly isn't from e.g. planning matters :-
"Extension is shown to be constructed above a common drain and will
required the relocation of the existing manhole and SVP."
[Burgh of Brent planning report case 10/1812]

Congratulations, you've found a planning document with a mistake in it.
--
Roland Perry