Driveway notice

[harrybo]

Hi, just returned home to a letter from the council. We have a driveway at the front with no dropped kerb ( the kerb is low but not dropped ). The letter states we have to apply for permission to use the front as a driveway and to drop the kerb. It also notes we have a garage in our back garden and we have to bloke it up before we can apply for permission to drop the kerb. There is no gate into the back garden and we use the garage as a shed... can they make us block up the garage? The driveway has been in place for 10 years!


Thanks with any help

 

[JohnD]

you could prop up a couple of fence panels in front of your storage shed.

If you have a roof rack you might even get some old ones free on your local freegle.

Or maybe put some trellis or net over it and grown peas or beans this year.

 

[harrybo]

Thanks for the reply. The garage has no access now unless i take the garden fence down. Just been reading about a 4 year rule with regards to permission so hopefully i can just pay to get the kerb dropped properly.

 

[rules&rulers]

Might be a good idea to stop driving over the undropped kerb while waiting for consents and council contractors ,

Ok who grassed you up,who have you annoyed ? Have you had the council sniffing around your property in the past ?.

 

[Nakajo]

Kerbs don't have to be dropped. If you can prove use (perhaps some goole earth photos going back a few years), then that should suffice.

 

[rules&rulers]

Kerbs don't have to be dropped.

sometimes the council does not know their own rules.

 

[harrybo]

Ha no falling out with any neighbours. The letter says on a highway inspection ot was noticed. Ive got pics when i put the driveway in 10 years ago and the google earth picture must be about 5 years old. Thanks I'll see what the lady says when she rings back.

 

[JohnD]

perhaps they're planning to renew the pavement or curb, and looking for the opportunity for improvements (and making a bit of money)

I believe that if you have a dropped curb, people are not allowed to block you in by parking across it.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Kerbs don't have to be dropped. If you can prove use (perhaps some goole earth photos going back a few years), then that should suffice.

Does the 4 year rule apply to highways - seeing as a new access is a highways application not a planning application?

 

[harrybo]

Just noticed a house on the other side of the road further up has no dropped kerb and he has fallen out with his neighbours....
I'm still waiting for the call back where I'll mention its been 10 years

Thanks for all the replys

 

[^woody^]

This is a highways issue, not planning. The enforcement limits for planning permission don't apply to highway crossings.

You can have a garage and a drive and what ever you like for cars, but what you can't do is drive across the footpath to access them, unless it's been reinforced.

 

[^woody^]

If you can prove use

Would wheel ruts, and trip hazard for the public using the footpath be enough proof?

 

[Nakajo]

I think so.

 

[harrybo]

Just got of the phone to the council. We have to apply for dropped kerb which we dont mind but it might be refused still. It doesn't matter how long it has been a driveway in place. Also we'd have to pay to have the kerb at the back of our house raised to stop access to the garage which you can't get to anyway. If they refuse we have a lovely block paved driveway to play basketball on

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

The criteria by which a dropped kerb is assessed (which is highways not planning) is usually quite straight forward and should be available online and clear to follow, some local authority's down here allow a little indiscretion with the criteria, others play it very strictly by the book.