What is a Dropped Kerb?

Where the pavement and the road meets is where you will find the kerb.  They are stones that create an edge to separate the pedestrian area and road.  The stones are lowered/dropped to allow vehicles to move from the road to the off street parking more easily.  They also provide easy access for pedestrians using wheelchairs or pushchairs.  

Are there rules to having a Dropped Kerb put in?

Lots of people want the convenience of a driveway and to have one you will need to drive over a pavement from the road to get on to your property.  The law states that you can only do this if you have a dropped kerb in place.  Breaking this law could mean that you face enforcement action and could be liable for paying compensation to any pedestrians who might get hit by your vehicle or for damage caused to the pavement.  You will also need to consider if any electricity, water or gas utilities are under the pavement too and this could cause issues when going ahead.

Will I need Planning Permission?

You can get a special dropped kerb or domestic vehicle crossing licence from your local highway authority if the kerb falls on a public highway.  Your local County Council will be your port of call in this instance.

You may also need planning permission from your local planning authority, this will depend on where you live.  Planning Permission will be required if your Property is on a classified road (an A, B or C road).  Check if your property is a listed building first too or if you are in a conservation area as this may have implications.

You will also need planning permission if you need to raise any of the levels by half a metre or more, or lower them by 1 metre or more.

How do I Apply for a Dropped Kerb?

Applying for a dropped kerb is mostly a straight forward process, especially if you have someone competent and has done this type of planning application on a regular basis doing the planning for you.  You can do some of the paperwork yourself but part of the form will require your Planning Consultant or Contractor to be involved too so it’s a good idea to select these suppliers first.

The Contractor may be required to be on the highway authority’s approved list of contractors – you can check this on your local council’s website, however the person doing the Planning Permission can check this for you as well.  

Rule of thumb is always get 3 quotes before choosing a Contractor/Builder to do the work.  Cheapest may not always be the route to go down, I’d usually suggest the middle one unless you are really confident with the cheapest quote and what they are offering you.  The contractor will need at least £5m of public liability insurance and have staff who are fully accredited to do the work. 

It's not unknown that the simplest of dropped kerb proposals can be difficult to get approval for.  Accurate plans and drawings are essential.  Do not guess measurements – make sure EVERYTHING is accurate.  You need to ensure that there is enough room to fit a standard vehicle on the driveway – there can be no overhanging onto the footway.  It will need to be more than 2.5 metres wide and between 4 to 5 metres in depth.

What happens in the application process?

A site safety assessment will be carried out by the highway authority once the licence application forms have been submitted – ensure these are completed fully before submission.  The non-refundable part of your application fee will be taken before the site safety assessment takes place.

If this part of the process is passed you will need to pay the rest of the fee.  You will then be sent a construction specification that the chosen Contractor will need to work to.  The work will usually need to be completed within 6 months of the site safety assessment.

Can the Local Authority Refuse my Application?

In a word..yes!  This could happen for a few reasons as I will mention below.  The space available for the parked vehicle might not be big enough or it could be too close to a junction.   Visibility can be an issue too – are there any obstructions around that might not make it safe to have a dropped kerb in that position?

Other reasons for them saying No could be that it would require moving road signs, trees or bus stops or they may need to amend parking restrictions.  All of these things will add costs to the whole process if you push to go ahead.  Tree removal isn’t cheap and they are unlikely to move road signs or bus stops to allow you to have your Driveway.

How Much Will a Dropped Kerb Cost?

The cost of doing the work will vary depending on both the job and where in the country you are, but it is likely to be somewhere between £1,500 and £3,000 for a standard project. You will need to add to that the cost of applying for the licence, which is about £300, plus any help you might need from a planning consultant, which would be from £500.

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