Apply for a dropped kerb

How do I apply?

1. Please contact the Regulations Department using the contact details on the right.
2. They will check the viability of your proposal and confirm that approval or refusal in writing.
3. If approved you will then be provided with a list of County Council's approved contractors who will be able to provide a quote for this work.

Do I need Planning Permission?

Planning permission is required for such work unless:

• The property involved has the frontage directly on to a unclassified road.
• The property involved is not a listed building
• The property involved is a residential building
• The property involved is not within a conservation area

If your property does not meet all the above criteria then planning permission will be required. Contact your local District or Borough Council's planning department.

Can my application be refused?

Parking within your property

Your application will not be approved unless you are able to provide a suitable parking area within your property, this must be at least 4.5 metres long, measured from the front of your house to the boundary of your property and 3.0 metres wide. There must be enough space around this area for pedestrian access.

There may be instances where the above criteria are not met. In such cases approval may be given, subject to a site inspection by a Highway Inspector.

No part of a vehicle parked within your property may project on to or over the highway. The crossing may not be used as a parking area and no part of it is exempted for the purpose of footway parking.

Your application will not be approved if the proposed location is within the limits of an adjacent road hump.

Safety

Any application for the construction of a domestic crossing may be refused or modified on the grounds of safety. The applicant must ensure that adequate sight lines are maintained to allow safe access to their property. 

The highway inspectors decision as to whether the application is approved or refused is final.

Your rights

The construction of a vehicle crossing does not give you any particular rights, except to drive across the footway to gain access to your property. The crossing itself is part of the public highway once it is satisfactorily completed.

From the date that the Council accepts the completed crossing, they will assume responsibility for its maintenance at no cost to the occupier, apart from any damage caused by illegal use by heavy vehicles, etc.

Conditions

The following is a list of conditions relevant to the construction, and the use of a domestic vehicle crossing after it has been completed.

1. If you decide to go ahead with the construction you must remove the fence, wall or hedge within the property at the place where the crossing will be located before construction can take place.
   
   
2. A domestic vehicle crossing may only be used by a private light goods or similar vehicle. It may not be used by heavy goods vehicles or mechanical equipment. If a delivery, such as a skip, is made into the property, and in doing so the delivery damages the crossing, any repairs will be the responsibility of the occupier.
   
   
3. The width of a standard crossing is 3.0 metres at the back of the public footway. This increases to about 5.40 metres at the kerbline. Crossings up to twice that width may be permitted.
   
   
4. Where the occupiers of two adjoining properties share a driveway, and wish to build a double width crossing to serve the two sites, one occupier should act on behalf of both parties.
   
   
5. Two crossings serving one property is not permitted.
   
   
6. The parking area within your property must be built so that water does not drain from it across the footway. Suitable drainage must be provided within the boundaries of your property.
   
   
7. The standard finish to crossings is blacktop. Block paving, slabs, gravel or any form of grass crete are not permitted.
   
   
8. No gravel or similar loose material is to be laid within 5.0 metres of the highway boundary. This will help to reduce any problem of some being carried onto the highway. If the material is carried onto the highway it will be the responsibility of the occupier to remove it by sweeping etc.
   
   
9. The Council may need to alter the layout of your vehicle crossover at any time, due to modifications in the footway or verge. Every effort will be made to maintain access to your property and the occupier of premises so affected will be given adequate notice of such works.
   
   
10. If more of the wall or fence running along the boundary is removed, than is required by the size of the crossing, an item of street furniture, ie lamp post, telegraph pole, traffic sign etc. may be erected at any time in the footway outside the area of a crossing, even though this may obstruct an area where there is no wall or similar feature.
    
    
11. Gates fitted across the vehicle entrance to your property may in no circumstances open outwards across the footpath or carriageway. ( Highways Act 1980 - Section 153)

Obstacles to construction

1. If the proposed position of the access is obstructed by a road sign, lamp post, or tree, etc. the location should be altered to avoid the obstacle. If this is not feasible, a decision will have to be made by the relevant section as to whether the item should be removed or relocated.
   
   
2. If a statutory authority is required to carry out work by relocating a fire hydrant, telegraph pole etc. any charges for such work will be the responsibility of the applicant, who will be required to produce written proof of approval by the authority to County Council's approved contractors before a crossing can be built.
   
   
3. If an applicant wishes the crossing to be placed in a location other than that recommended by the County Council's approved contractors and this requires the relocation of a lamp post or similar item, which would not otherwise be necessary, he/she will be required to pay the full cost of relocation.

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