A dropped pavement outside a home can allow homeowners to create their own driveway.
They also provide additional perks. Other road users will be far less likely to park in front of your property, there’s no bumping around every time you drive to and from your property and they help keep pedestrians safe
As you probably might expect, there are rules around pavements, and you can’t disregard them and do whatever you want with them. They’re also required by law if you’re trying to create off-street parking, as it protects under pavement infrastructure like electric or gas utilities.
So, if you’re keen on following this process through, read on for the three considerations you should keep in mind as you go.
You’ll Require Planning Permission
If you live on a private road, the pavement outside your house could technically be part of your property. In other situations, it belongs to your local council.
Moreover, even if you want to make changes to the property that you do own, you can still need to apply for planning permission in some circumstances. The same type of logic can apply if you wish to drop the pavement outside your property.
If your council owns your pavement, you’ll need to apply for planning permission with them. You will also require planning permission if the road nearby is a classified, trunk, or principal road. Your council will have records on how your road is classified, so contacting them directly is vital if you require further clarification.
The council should be able to guide you on obtaining planning permission if your circumstances allow. Any planning consultant or contractor you’re working with should also have their share of paperwork. Expect these entities to field any questions you have, and don’t hesitate to ask LTJ Surfacing, a pocket friendly company based in Kent should you have any.
Decide Between Council or Contractor Work
Whether you work with a council or contractor largely depends on your application’s context or your preference. There are separate considerations to make for each situation.
Many councils can do the work themselves if they approve the planning permission application. That said, some allow the use of private contractors so long as they’re up to regulatory standards and feature on their approved contractor list. Check your council’s website to double-check the entities you might want to work with are listed.
Fees will need to be paid if the council handles it all, as well as non-refundable site safety inspection costs conducted by them. Contractors will require public liability insurance at a minimum of £5m and have accredited staff to be eligible for the job at hand. They’ll also need to work to the council’s construction specifications and typically finish the projects within half a year of the initial site safety inspection.
Check the processes of the entities you’d like to work with. For example, Hanson is an asphalt producer that can provide the surfacing solutions you need for driveways and footpaths. It is one of the largest suppliers in the UK, adheres to the quality management system ISO 90001 and has BBA HAPAS approval for thin surfacing products. The company has a number of measures underway to reduce emissions in its asphalt production processes, so working with them assures quality for you and helps everybody in the end.
Note the Key Details
Some people know they want a dropped pavement but don’t put a lot of thought into it. Still, as with all things planning permission, if you have a clearer idea of what you’re hoping to achieve, your ideas are more likely to be achievable and accepted by the verifying authorities.
Therefore, you should include a block and Ordnance Survey location to give your planning permission some extra shine. These additions inform the council that you at least know what you’re doing and respect the rigorousness procedure. Accurate drawings should also be presented, showing your plans work and aren’t disruptive.
Some people have had their planning permission requests declined due to a failure to provide accurate measurements. Even those supplying photos or well thought-through estimations have been refused. To avoid falling into the same pitfalls, you’ll need to ensure standard vehicles can be parked with a minimum depth of 4 to 5 metres long and 2.5 metres wide. They shouldn’t overhang footways. Even if you have a smaller car, these rules apply, as you may upgrade to a larger model in future.
It would help if you also closely worked with your planning consultant to account for other influential factors too. Trees, bus stops, road signs, or any other type of obstruction can complicate your planning permission requests significantly. Only these professionals stand a chance of resolving these issues smoothly. You’ll then be able to continue with the project and get your dream driveway constructed quickly and easily.
