Can we put in a drive?

Wizwoo

Hello,

Not long moved to a lovely new home in a small village in a quiet cul de sac. The previous owners were thinking of putting a drive in but didn't bother in the end.

Would we need planning permission to do it? There is already a lowered curb. I don't know if this makes any difference - it's an ex-local authority house too. The front garen already has gravel down so we'd just need to cut the front garden wall and gravel a small border that's next to it.


Any ideas?
Thanks,Ww

Lemon_Tree

i've seen lots of people do it but whether you need permission i don't know, think you may have to get permission to cross the kerb, but if they've lowered the curb it may already be there, but then that's just my opinion and could be entirely wrong.

razra

Ive been thinking about doing this to my front garden.

When I looked into it I didnt need planning permission to create a hardstanding but I do need planning permission to drop the curb. Its free to apply for the planning permission. If there is already a curb drop there then its possible the planning approval has been done . However I would check as if it turns out to have been done without planning permission you could be liable for the cost of replacing the curb back to how it should be so check this before you remove the wall as if you cant use the drop curb then you may not have to pay to put it right as you havent used it if you get my drift . In my area the quotes I got were £800 + VAT to lower the kurb (hence I havent done it yet)

It seems a bit weird that they would pay for the dropped curb and then not do anything with it!

Wizwoo

Well - they didn't in fact put the lowered curb in (although it was what they suggested when we viewed the property). The lowered curb was put in by the council to allow access for our disabled neighbour.

Does this change things?

Kimberley

Why not ask those who would have to give you permission? Just phone and ask

Ken68

Those are the current prices here...£800 to drop the curb and free to some. Also for white lines to be painted £95.

Wizwoo

Thanks for your thoughts so far on this.

I have just one more query - is there a set minimum size / depth that a drive has to be?

I did call the loacl council and my call was answered by an lovely American lady who I'm afraid couldn't remember the what we called A and B roads (i.e. A and and advised me to fill in a huge online planning permission document...

I phoned them again today. As far as the council are concerned it's fine but we need Highways to confirm this. They are sending out an inspector to have a look.

Ken68

In the event, Wiz, that your drive shoots all the rain water into the road , then you would not be able to reclaim some water charges.

Wizwoo

Hi Ken,

Sorry, not sure what you mean? All we plan to do is put more gravel down (not actually tarmac) which shouldn't be a problem should it?

Ken68

No problem, Wiz.
Where rainwater goes in to a soakaway, some householders can claim water rebate of £30 a year provided none goes into the main sewers including driveway water that drains into the road.

liitleblackcat

You don't need planning permission to drop a kerb (not curb) on an unclassified road but you do on a classified road. Your local highways department should be able to advise you on what to do. The highways department I used to work for would give you the option of paying them to do it or getting your own contractor to do the work but paying the highways department for administration and supervision. In either case, it needs to be done to the proper specification as they become responsible for the kerbs and footway afterwards.