What is a dropped kerb?
A dropped kerb, also known as a crossover, is a change to the pavement (footway) to allow vehicles to drive over the pavement from the road to a driveway. It involves lowering the kerb and laying new foundations to the paving.
Without using a dropped kerb that has been approved and constructed by the council, you may get a fine and also need to pay for damage to services under the pavement, such as gas pipes and electricity cables.
Changing your garden to a parking area
There are standards that need to be met for your application for a dropped kerb to be approved. These include your front garden dimensions, which must be:
- A minimum of 4.2 metres in depth or
- 3.8 metres if the frontage of your property is over 6.5 metres wide.
The width of a standard dropped kerb is 2.4 metres, and only one dropped kerb will be allowed per property. Wider dropped kerbs up to 4.8 metres can be constructed if shared with a neighbouring property. Existing shared dropped kerbs can also be extended to a maximum width of 4.8 metres.
Getting planning permission
You need planning permission:
- For dropped kerbs on main roads, see appendix 1 in the application pack for the list of classified roads
- If the property is within a conservation area or under Article 4 direction
- Where a property is divided into flats for multiple occupancy
- When a boundary wall over 1 metre high (in a conservation area) is demolished.
Council tenants will need to get permission from their housing office.
Cost
The application fee is £75. The cost of constructing an average dropped kerb is roughly £1,500. This cost depends on the size of the dropped kerb and if there are any pavement obstructions, for example a tree, lamp posts that have to be removed.