Dropped kerbs: permission and the application process

A dropped kerb, also called a vehicle crossover, changes the pavement or verge so vehicles can cross between the road and a property. The process is handled locally and may involve permission, design requirements and work by an approved contractor. Check with the council or highway authority responsible for the road before arranging work.

Before applying

Find out who maintains the road and whether your proposed access is acceptable. The authority may need to assess visibility, road layout, street furniture, trees, drainage and pedestrian access. A national web page cannot confirm whether a particular location qualifies or what the local authority will require.

In England and Wales, use the official GOV.UK dropped-kerb service to find your council’s process. That service does not cover Scotland or Northern Ireland. In Scotland, contact the council’s roads department. In Northern Ireland, nidirect provides the application for consent to construct or alter a vehicular access where planning approval is not needed; it goes to the local Department for Infrastructure office. Where planning approval is involved, ask DfI which process applies.

Read the responsible authority’s current guidance before changing the driveway entrance. Get its decision before arranging work, and check whether it specifies who may carry it out.

If you are also adding a gate

Plan the driveway entrance and gate together. Consider where a vehicle can wait without obstructing a public route, whether the gate opens inward or outward, and whether the opening can be used without blocking the footway. Planning permission for a gate and consent for a crossover are separate checks. Rules and responsible authorities vary across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

For England and Wales, section 153 of the Highways Act 1980 restricts gates opening outwards onto a street, subject to a limited consent exception. Northern Ireland has a related provision in article 56 of its Roads Order. Scotland has a different legal framework; ask the local roads authority. Read the gate planning guide and front gate height rules.

Planning: General information only, not planning or legal advice. Contact your local authority before altering access or starting work.