Grant help to build a drop kerb at a new property.

Sansom30

I've tried to search for help on this but can not find much. I was wondering if anyone knew of any help towards putting in a dropped kerb in our first home, which already has a parking drive on the front, but the sellers never got around to putting in a drop kerb. The neighbours have already mentioned it was the best thing they did to help stop people parking in front of the drive, but also that it cost a small fortune to get. 
We are going to be a new family soon, and the money and pressure on a first house, and new baby is going to put this on hold for quite some time. 
But any advice on anything that might help towards this would be incredibly helpful and appreciated. 

p00hsticks

Sansom30 said:

 which already has a parking drive on the front, but the sellers never got around to putting in a drop kerb. 

Are you confident that the previous owners actually got permission from the council to drive over the pavement ? I was under the impression that the installation of a dropped kerb was usually a requirement....

Bookworm105

no, why should the taxpayer fund your personal desire?

Did you inform your solicitor that there was no existing dropped kerb and ask them to check for permission ?
Did the estate agent refer to a "driveway" given there is no existing dropped kerb so no legal right of access to the frontage of the property.

sounds like your new neighbours followed the rules, don't make the mistake of thinking you can ignore them, even if your sellers did so to date.

theartfullodger

Well, I'd like a taxpayer funded helicopter please.... 


 I sincerely hope there's no such grant or bung for homeowners to get dropped  kerb paid for by us lot..

Yes, check one was approved to be installed by council first. 

ButterCheese

You may have to clarify this a bit.  Usually if there is no dropped curb then there is no right of access across the pavement to your property.  That's what a raised curb is for.  You can't just clear a space in front of your house (which I assume the previous owners did) and drive up the pavement and call it a driveway. 

Or do you mean that there is an existing small/shared dropped curb which you want to extend?

Grizebeck

Why should taxpayers pay to improve your property 
  

35har1old

theartfullodger said:

Well, I'd like a taxpayer funded helicopter please.... 


 I sincerely hope there's no such grant or bung for homeowners to get dropped  kerb paid for by us lot..

Yes, check one was approved to be installed by council first. 

Possibly if you or family member where disabled

Bookworm105

35har1old said:

theartfullodger said:

Well, I'd like a taxpayer funded helicopter please.... 


 I sincerely hope there's no such grant or bung for homeowners to get dropped  kerb paid for by us lot..

Yes, check one was approved to be installed by council first. 

Possibly if you or family member where disabled

where they are disabled has no relevance

Section62

ButterCheese said:

You may have to clarify this a bit.  Usually if there is no dropped curb then there is no right of access across the pavement to your property.  That's what a raised curb is for.  You can't just clear a space in front of your house (which I assume the previous owners did) and drive up the pavement and call it a driveway. 

In the majority of cases the BiB isn't true.  There is a common law right of access to land adjoining the highway.  The highway and planning acts give highway and planning authorities powers to control how that access is achieved, and in some cases can take action to stop such access taking place.

The purpose of a normal height kerb is to delineate the edge of the carriageway and give structural support to the footway or verge, not to stop people driving over it.

Section62

Bookworm105 said:

35har1old said:

theartfullodger said:

Well, I'd like a taxpayer funded helicopter please.... 


 I sincerely hope there's no such grant or bung for homeowners to get dropped  kerb paid for by us lot..

Yes, check one was approved to be installed by council first. 

Possibly if you or family member where disabled

where they are disabled has no relevance

Some councils might classify it as an 'adaptation' and contribute towards the cost, but as the budget for adaptations is so restricted now it is perhaps less likely than it might have been in the past.

Grumpy_chap

Section62 said:

ButterCheese said:

You may have to clarify this a bit.  Usually if there is no dropped curb then there is no right of access across the pavement to your property.  That's what a raised curb is for.  You can't just clear a space in front of your house (which I assume the previous owners did) and drive up the pavement and call it a driveway. 

In the majority of cases the BiB isn't true.  There is a common law right of access to land adjoining the highway.  The highway and planning acts give highway and planning authorities powers to control how that access is achieved, and in some cases can take action to stop such access taking place.

The purpose of a normal height kerb is to delineate the edge of the carriageway and give structural support to the footway or verge, not to stop people driving over it.

But not a right of vehicular access.