Planning permission to remove loads of ground from driveway???

[JP_]

I reversed off a driveway yesterday (house trying to buy) and the bottom of my car (Chevy estate) scraped the ground. There's nothing particulary low. Several of the neighbouring houses have lowered their drives to make them flatter, with a gentle slope towards the garage.

I know from reading today that you can turn your whole front garden into a driveway under permitted development so long as you ensure that it is a permeable drive, to avoid increasing run-off. But, does removing 10 skip loads of earth also come under this rule?

To the right of the drive is a raised lawn area. Also, it's bloody tight even for my car, so removals is going to be interesting ....

 

[^woody^]

does removing 10 skip loads of earth also come under this rule?

No. Take away what you like.

 

[noseall]

Also, it's bloody tight even for my car, so removals is going to be interesting ....

Not for a grab-loader.
Get a digger in with a grading bucket and heap it up near the front of the drive then ring your grab man. It will be cheaper than skips too.

The first thing I'd do is make that entrance wider too. Cars and their size have moved on (got bigger) since that driveway entrance was planned out.

 

[JP_]

Great idea, thanks Noseall! I'll be opening up the whole front, make it all level with easy access, then but something back (shrubs, picket fence etc.) if I feel I don't want it wide open.

 

[JP_]

thinking that this might have to be a priority job. Found a grab loader guy, just need to get some quotes for the digging side of things. Approx how long / how much is it likely to cost to do this? Fuller pics of fronts.

 

[clifford1]

Your car must be abnormally low-slung. How does it cope with speed bumps?

 

[JP_]

No, not at all. Copes with speed bumps just fine. I think it's a combination with the angle of the drive and the slight dip in the pavement before the road. It may have been the tow bar kit that scraped, so a simpler solution might be at hand - but I am not sure as I was driving and my wife peering under the car whilst stopping traffic, and just said "something metal"!

 

[Nige F]

Slightly off topic ( I haven't a clue £ for groundwork) I'd get a price for dropping that extremely tall chimney, I don't trust them in high winds

 

[HERTS P&D]

It looks like the neighbour has already dropped their chimney.

Andy

 

[JP_]

Well, it has stood there for some time. It will stay a little longer. Even if I convert the loft that will be in the eaves anyway, so I might just keep it high and mighty. Although, I do want to build a brick bbq at some point ....

 

[JP_]

I got it!

 

[^woody^]

Get some cream from the doctors

 

[John D v2.0]

Great news, get over to the Your Projects section and post photos!

 

[AyMe]

Impressive, much more space! Can I ask what type of surface did you decide to go with for this driveway?

 

[JP_]

I've not done it yet - that other drive is a neighbour that recently opened the drive up.
They went with a combination of block paving and gravel, I think. Will no doubt have a closer look on Friday, when I move in!

Oh, I bought a bloody big SDS drill with some chisel attachments. Ready to smash some stuff!