Is it difficult to get permission for a dropped kerb?

FTBAngst

I’m viewing a house tomorrow and there’s no driveway. I’ve got some quotes for putting one in and the 5 people I spoke to didn’t say anything about not being able to get a dropped kerb and said it would be included in the price of the drive. But today acouple of my colleagues have said they have or know people who have struggled to get permission.

It’s a terrace house. Not the end of the road or near a turn or corner or steeet lighting . The house on the right has a drive, the one of the left doesn’t but the one after that does. I didn’t think it would be a problem and factored the cost into my budget. The area is so busy and I have to use my car daily for work so not having off street parking will be problematic.

Is there anything else I can look for that might suggest the council will refuse to let me drop the kerb?

deuteronomy

Its quite easy, I actually had a drive put in and applied for planning permission for a dropped kerb, I thought it would be trickly as the house is on an 'A' road.



All I did was goto the planning portal of the local coucil, search for kerb and view all the recently submitted applications, I even found a one on the same stretch of road. Look at what pictures,diagrams they used, and their application forms - either scanned in or online, and I just filled out the online application at the planning portal, using similar pictures of the front plan of my house/drive and the OS map of the location (was about £8 to get the right scale one) submitted the while thing with the £200 or whatever it was and then got the pemission a few months later

stator

My council have a PDF that sets out the requirements for a dropped kerb.


Your parking space has to be a certain size to fit all cars (regardless of the size of your car, even if it's a mini)
The dropped kerb can't be too close to another dropped kerb, so your neighbour's might cause you problem
It is possible to get a joint dropped kerb put in if your neighbour wants one too.


If you don't meet their exact requirements, you don't get a dropped kerb.
If you do, you will, although they can be expensive.


You want to get this sorted before you make any decision, because if you don't meet the requirements you simple won't get one and there will be nothing you can do

bouicca21

In my area you have to pay for someone to come and inspect the site, then if it passes muster, you pay the council to construct it.

Just because others have a dropped kerb doesn’t mean you will be allowed one - the regulations have become much more onerous and what was once allowed is no longer ok. The drive itself has to be of a minimum length, and constructed to prevent runoff onto the road. Sight lines have to be good.

ReadingTim

Here are some reasons why it might be rejected, but it's entirely location-specific, so no-one can know, except your local council. So ask them.

I should add that the concreting of front gardens is becoming a concern for some councils due to the effect it has on drainage and water run-off. It also reduces on-street parking, which could be an issue if the area is busy.

If you want a house with a drive, you might be better off looking at houses with drives rather than chancing it on one which doesn't.

FTBAngst

Thanks everyone. It does sound like it’s more difficult now

knightstyle

On our new build house bought 2006 I went to the council and asked before we bought, got a letter saying it was OK to do. Went ahead without any planning permission.

Mojisola

FTBAngst wrote: »

I’m viewing a house tomorrow and there’s no driveway. I’ve got some quotes for putting one in and the 5 people I spoke to didn’t say anything about not being able to get a dropped kerb and said it would be included in the price of the drive.

You can't use just any contractor to make a dropped kerb - they have to be approved by the council.

foxy-stoat

You cannot apply for a dropped kerb until there is a driveway or hardstanding. So you have to buy the property, get the drive installed upto the boundary then apply for the dropped kerb.

There is a chance that you wont get the permission, so if a driveway is a deal breaker maybe look for another property with one already.

Mojisola

ReadingTim wrote: »

I should add that the concreting of front gardens is becoming a concern for some councils due to the effect it has on drainage and water run-off. It also reduces on-street parking, which could be an issue if the area is busy.

FTBAngst - If any of the contractors haven't explained this to you, don't use them!

https://www.planningportal.co.uk/info/200130/common_projects/45/paving_your_front_garden
"You will not need planning permission if a new or replacement driveway of any size uses permeable (or porous) surfacing which allows water to drain through, such as gravel, permeable concrete block paving or porous asphalt, or if the rainwater is directed to a lawn or border to drain naturally.

If the surface to be covered is more than five square metres planning permission will be needed for laying traditional, impermeable driveways that do not provide for the water to run to a permeable area."

Cakeguts

In my area gardens have to be a certain depth so that the car doesn't go over the pavement.


It might be a good idea to try to find out why the vendors haven't got a dropped kerb because it may well turn out that they have been refused permission. The house may be cheaper because you can't get a dropped kerb.



If you want offstreet parking it is probably better to look at houses that have already got it.