Planning permission to dig up pavement?

Better_Days

Do you need planning permission to dig up the pavement in the front of your house and to create a parking space in the front of your house? If so would a notice be posted outside the property?

Reason I ask is that this is what is currently being done across the road as I type!!

agrinnall

Assuming that what you mean is that a dropped kerb is being created to allow a car to drive over the pavement so that it can be parked in a front garden, you may find this link helpful:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/HomeAndCommunity/WhereYouLive/StreetsParkingCleaningAndLighting/DG_10026223

Better_Days

Thank you agrinnall

Useful link - now checking - couldn't remember the phrase 'dropped kerb', thanks for reminding me, it's a good place to start

PasturesNew

You have to apply for permission to have a dropped kerb. Then you have to use Council-approved contractors.

So you can't:
a] Just do it
b] Get a spade and do the work yourself
c] Get some bloke whose 'done loads of these before' to do it

Better_Days

Does anyone know if application for permission for this would appear on the list of planning applications on the council website?

Have checked and it is not there. If it was any of our other neigbours I would just ask, but unfortunately this chap is a nasty piece of work and was recently very abusive towards one of our elderly neighbors with alzheimer's.

because

With most councils you can report work you suspect is taking place without planning via an online form and you dont have to provide your details.

hazyjo

So you know the bloke... I presume he's the home owner doing a DIY driveway/dropped kerb?

I'd be informing the council pronto. The form will probably be slower - I'd be inclined to ring saying you don't want to give your details but your neighbour is currently digging up the pavement to create a dropped kerb.

Jx

WestonDave

Having gone through the process and about to have work start...

You may need planning permission but this is normally only in conservation areas or if you are creating a large area of non porous ground (this is to prevent flood problems by increased water run off). In reality most people use either gravel or block paving both of which at least appear to comply so don't need planning permission. Obviously if they needed planning permission it would be in the lists in the normal way.

In the majority of cases where you don't need planning permission you just apply for Highways permission to create a footway crossing. You will need to use contractors who have the relevant permits and insurance because normal pavement is not strengthened for vehicle traffic, so it needs to be done properly to protect pipes etc under the pavement. However there is no consultation process with nearby neighbours on this (we've talked to ours out of courtesy and explained what we proposed to check none had a problem with it).

It is pretty difficult to check from outside - pretty much all you can do is phone Highways at your council and ensure they are aware of what is happening. Its also hard to check contractors - we had to ditch one contractor who claimed to have all the paperwork in hand but I got a feeling he was lying so checked him out with the streetworks register place in Glasgow. (You can phone them up and ask them about a named contractor - but if whoever is doing it is just using an unmarked van etc, it may be hard to find out without asking the neighbour).

In short the fact that its not on the council planning list gives little reason to think its unauthorised because most of these jobs won't need planning.

mark5

My dad didnt need planning permission when he did it a few years back, someone from the council come out and had a look at what he wanted to do then sent a letter confirming it was okay to go ahead with the work.

Better_Days

Thank you all for the very useful info, especially WestonDave and Mark5 who have recent experience of the process. I think I will ring up the council to check, but stay anonymous as I have no wish to be on the receiving end of this neighbours aggression.

Edit - dang - got an answering machine when I tried to ring planning!

Further edit - got through to 'travel transport and streets' who told me that the county council now deal with this. Rang the CC who said they sometimes deal with this! They were unable to put me through to speak to anyone, but will pass on a message. I was told that I will get an email back in a few days.

Interestingly I was asked if the works vans had the CC marked on them, which they don't, which suggests that the CC do the work, and this work may well be unauthorised.

Fuzzyness

if an application had been submitted to the council for the creation of a parking space then a notice should have been posted informing people of the fact an applicaiton had been submitted. if there is no notice it could be down to two things. 1) no permission is needed hence why no application, or 2) it does need permission and he's doing the work without having applied.

speak to your local enforcement officer or submit a report on line which you can do in certain authorities to let them know of your concerns.