Driveways
Dropped kerbs in Southport and the North West
A dropped kerb lets you drive legally from the road onto your own drive. We check what your council allows at your address, help you apply, and build the driveway so it meets the crossing properly.
Who builds the dropped kerb?
The pavement belongs to the council, so they decide. Councils do it one of two ways.
Some build every dropped kerb themselves, using their own contractor. You pay them for the crossing, and we build the driveway behind it, set to the right level to meet it.
Others let an accredited contractor build it once they have approved it. We hold NRSWA accreditation, the qualification for working on roads and pavements, so where the council allows it we build the crossing and the driveway in one job.
What gets an application turned down
- A lamp post, tree, sign, telecoms box or manhole cover in the way
- Too close to a junction, bus stop or crossing
- Not enough room to park the car fully off the pavement
- A main road where reversing out would be unsafe
We look for these before you pay any council fees.
Do you need permission for your driveway?
Answer six questions to see if your new front driveway needs planning permission, and what the council needs for a dropped kerb. For homes in England.
Answer the questions and press Check.
Where the rules come from
The Planning Portal's guidance on paving front gardens in England. A house can surface its front garden without planning permission if the area is 5 m² or less, or the surface lets water through, or the rain runs onto a lawn or border.
Those rules do not cover flats, maisonettes, converted houses, or places where the council has taken the rights away (an Article 4 direction), which is common in conservation areas.
A dropped kerb always needs the council's approval, because the pavement is theirs. On an A, B or C road, councils also ask for planning permission for the new access.
Rules can differ locally. This is a guide, not a planning decision.
How a dropped kerb and driveway comes together
- 1
Check your address
We look at the pavement, the road and the space in front of the house, and tell you how your council handles dropped kerbs.
- 2
Apply to the council
The council has to approve it first. We help you with the application and the drawing of where the crossing goes.
- 3
Build the crossing
The full height kerbs come out, lowered kerbs go in, and the pavement is dug out and rebuilt thick enough to take a car.
- 4
Build the drive
The driveway behind it is built to meet the crossing at the right level, so you drive straight on with no step or puddle.
Questions people ask
Do I need permission for a dropped kerb?
Yes. The kerb and pavement belong to the council, so you have to apply to them before anything is built. Driving over a full height kerb without one can damage the pavement and lead to enforcement from the council.
Who is allowed to build it?
It depends on the council. Some build every dropped kerb themselves using their own contractor. Others let an accredited contractor build it once they have approved it. We will tell you which applies at your address.
Do I need planning permission as well?
Usually not for a house on an ordinary road. You normally do on a main (classified) road, for a listed building, or for flats and businesses. The new driveway may also need planning if it is a solid surface over 5 square metres that drains onto the road.
How long does it take?
The council part, the application and approval, often takes several weeks. The building work is usually a few days once it is approved.
How wide will it be?
The council sets the width, usually wide enough for one car. Wider crossings for two cars are sometimes allowed, but not always.
What does a dropped kerb cost?
There are two parts: the council fees, which vary from council to council, and the building work. We give you a written quote for our part after looking at the job.
Also worth a look
Send us a photo of the front of your house
Phone lines open Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm, Saturday 8am to 1pm. WhatsApp photos of the job any time, we reply in office hours.