Dropped kerb planning rejected due to RPA

Gkc79

We just bought a property in Sutton and it does not currently have a driveway. I did called the council about having the dropped kerb before we bought the property but they told me I could not request the assessment as I don't own or live in the property. A month later after we completed the purchase, I then applied for initial assessment for a dropped kerb with the council but two days later I got email to informed me my application has been rejected due to two trees on public pavement and RPA (12 times) calculations overlapping. I am really confused as both trees are not directly outside my property and my neighbour who already has dropped kerb has one of the tree directly outside his house. Is there anything can be done to install the dropped kerb and not harm the trees? Any guidance would be greatly appreciate it thank you🙏

user1977

Gkc79 said:

both trees are not directly outside my property and my neighbour who already has dropped kerb has one of the tree directly outside his house.

Have you pointed that out to the council?

Another_Level

Trees, lovely council owned trees. Yes i have had an application rejected stating root protection area    

Have a read of your councils most recent vehicle cross over policy its on the internet and measure up yourself, your property is also close to a junction and what looks like a dropped kerb for pedestrian's. 

Took a chance, asked a local arborist about possible root growth area and depth. They were satisfied no roots were under the proposed vehicle access.
Went back to the council asked them to dig inspection trenches and no roots were found  was costly thou.

Good luck.

eddddy

Also... there are 'construction systems' that allow accessways to be built over Root Protection Areas - like this one:  http://www.geosyn.co.uk/application/permanent-solutions-over-tree-root-protection-areas

(There are probably others as well.)


You could ask the council if they'd reconsider if you can get a company like the one above to do a survey, and confirm that they can create an access which wouldn't damage the tree roots or impact future tree growth.

You'd also have to come to an arrangement about how the work is done. Normally, the council would want to use their own contractors - but maybe they'd agree to you hiring specialist contractors, with the council inspecting their work.


But it's all likely to get very expensive. (And you might have expensive surveys etc, which still say it's not possible.)

eddddy

Another_Level said:

Went back to the council asked them to dig inspection trenches and no roots were found  was costly thou.

There is also Ground Penetrating Radar.

That's supposed to tell you where the roots are (and where there aren't any) without having to do any digging.

Here's a random company that seem to do this: https://treeradaruk.com/

Another_Level

eddddy said:

Another_Level said:

Went back to the council asked them to dig inspection trenches and no roots were found  was costly thou.

There is also Ground Penetrating Radar.

That's supposed to tell you where the roots are (and where there aren't any) without having to do any digging.

Here's a random company that seem to do this: https://treeradaruk.com/

Yes, the arborist mentioned alternative's but the council (not sutton) said it will only accept what they have printed in their updated pamphlet   

Councils 

Grumpy_chap

Don't forget that this is LB Sutton with a car-hating administration currently.

The OP's best approach may be to claim the crossover is required to support their purchase of an EV and home charging as it would be unsafe to run a cable across the pavement to a car parked on road.  So long as that does not back-fire and the LA install public chargers right outside the house, which would just add another obstruction to the crossover.

Does the OP definitely need planning permission?  Usually only required for properties on a classified road.

Here is a link to the latest policy for Sutton:
https://www.sutton.gov.uk/downloads/file/4493/lbs_and_rbk_vehicle_crossover_policy_april_2020

Silvertabby

Happy to be corrected, but isn't there something about not having a dropped kerb within 10m of a junction?

Gkc79

user1977 said:

Gkc79 said:

both trees are not directly outside my property and my neighbour who already has dropped kerb has one of the tree directly outside his house.

Have you pointed that out to the council?

Council told me that my neighbour's drive was installed before they changed the RPA legislation was changed. 

Gkc79

Another_Level said:

Trees, lovely council owned trees. Yes i have had an application rejected stating root protection area    

Have a read of your councils most recent vehicle cross over policy its on the internet and measure up yourself, your property is also close to a junction and what looks like a dropped kerb for pedestrian's. 

Took a chance, asked a local arborist about possible root growth area and depth. They were satisfied no roots were under the proposed vehicle access.
Went back to the council asked them to dig inspection trenches and no roots were found  was costly thou.

Good luck.

Thank you. I did measured up the distance from the junction and it is more than 10m away which is fine. Do I need council's permission to get the arborist to dig inspection trenches? If you don't mind me asking what sort of cost we are looking at for this? thanks again.

Gkc79

eddddy said:

Another_Level said:

Went back to the council asked them to dig inspection trenches and no roots were found  was costly thou.

There is also Ground Penetrating Radar.

That's supposed to tell you where the roots are (and where there aren't any) without having to do any digging.

Here's a random company that seem to do this: 

This in a interesting one. Let me talk to them. Thank you Grumpy_chap said:

Don't forget that this is LB Sutton with a car-hating administration currently.

The OP's best approach may be to claim the crossover is required to support their purchase of an EV and home charging as it would be unsafe to run a cable across the pavement to a car parked on road.  So long as that does not back-fire and the LA install public chargers right outside the house, which would just add another obstruction to the crossover.

Does the OP definitely need planning permission?  Usually only required for properties on a classified road.

This a cracking idea and we are thinking of getting EV at some point but like you said it might backfire on us going down this route. Thank you for the idea