Anyone applied for a dropped kerb?

Lestratcaster

We are having a driveway done and only recently got approval from the council we could do it (due to some on running thing with a resident parking controlled zone permission). We've got a CATV box outside our house, not bang in the middle but off centre. Is this going to stop our chances of having our kerb dropped? We didn't mention it in our application. 

Also can Virgin Media (who supply our internet etc) move this as we are having the kerb dropped? Anyone ever had the same issue?

Iamnobody

The dropped kerb installation should involve a full width reinstatement of the footway to ensure it’s constructed to a standard to withstand vehicular traffic crossing it regularly.

That box will be a show stopper that will be picked up when your LA or their contractor does the survey/quotation.

VM will charge you a decent amount to move it.

The whole project could end up costing you ~ £2k or more depending on what’s in the box!

Lestratcaster

They must have surveyed it before if they have given us the approval for a crossover (same thing as a dropped kerb?) otherwise why would they have said yes? My cousin helped with the drawing proposal and we actually shifted it to the right (as you face the house) to accommodate turning space as you turn left out the drive. Its supposed to be 2.4m width.

Iamnobody

I think some LAs have a slightly different system for dropped kerb applications - but when you say approval, what approval?

Planning approval is only usually required if the property is located on a classified road. 

Planning wouldn’t consider the detail and the fact there might be a stat with an asset in the footway. They’d just approve the principle of creating the access/egress.

Guitar_Slinger

We got it done in 2008, when the council were doing a "special offer" and lots in our street got it done.  IIRC, part of the planning application was that you'd get the front garden done as a hard-standing(?l within 6 months of the kerb being dropped.    Although that wouldn't apply if you don't have grass at the front like we did.

Lestratcaster

Iamnobody said:

I think some LAs have a slightly different system for dropped kerb applications - but when you say approval, what approval?

Planning approval is only usually required if the property is located on a classified road. 

Planning wouldn’t consider the detail and the fact there might be a stat with an asset in the footway. They’d just approve the principle of creating the access/egress.

Approval to do the works to the front of the property. The hold up was due to some issue with the local resident permit parking who are part of a different council.

Lestratcaster

Guitar_Slinger said:

We got it done in 2008, when the council were doing a "special offer" and lots in our street got it done.  IIRC, part of the planning application was that you'd get the front garden done as a hard-standing(?l within 6 months of the kerb being dropped.    Although that wouldn't apply if you don't have grass at the front like we did.

Yes but we have to do the work first and then show photographic evidence of it before paying for them to drop the kerb. Now we’ve discovered the CATV cover I’m worried it’ll scupper our plans. I know it’s nothing to do with the contractor who’s doing the hardstanding but we should still consult them?

strumjoughlamps

Iamnobody said:

The dropped kerb installation should involve a full width reinstatement of the footway to ensure it’s constructed to a standard to withstand vehicular traffic crossing it regularly.

That box will be a show stopper that will be picked up when your LA or their contractor does the survey/quotation.

VM will charge you a decent amount to move it.

The whole project could end up costing you ~ £2k or more depending on what’s in the box!

Moving a utility box you will be doubling that £2k easy.

also if there is any removal of green space you’ll be paying for that too..

and check if your dropped kerb quote includes painted white lines, that can be another £60-£150. 

Lestratcaster

One hopes that box under the cover could be like a disused old one for cable tv. There's another one opposite our house on the other side of the road which I always see VM engineers working on. Don't think I've ever seen anyone working on the one outside our house.

Lestratcaster

Driveway is now finished however we knocked down the walls and missed the guideline there must be a 600mm wall outside the front of the property. D'oh!!

strtdv

Who stipulates that? Is it a term in the leasehold agreement? Or was it the council?

TheMarlin

My drop kerb is old, and damaged. Would the council fix this, or would I have to pay to fix this?

strumjoughlamps

TheMarlin said:

My drop kerb is old, and damaged. Would the council fix this, or would I have to pay to fix this?

It’s it’s part of the public highway so local authority should be responsible for repair.. let’s face it if member of public tripped over damaged dropped kerb the claim would go to the council not to you.

when you apply for a dropped kerb you are paying for a service not a product, you don’t own the kerb. 

Lestratcaster

strtdv said:

Who stipulates that? Is it a term in the leasehold agreement? Or was it the council?

The council, when the application was approved they sent out the guidelines and we must have got confused with the wall being the sides, and not the front of the property. As the turnaround from the contractor doing the drive was very quick we didn't actually show him this plus the drawing we sent into the council which showed the walls.

I shouldn't think it would take long/cost much to build a 600mm wall though?

Its meant to look like this:



PS this isn't my house its what they want, the stupid law with the wall requirement makes it now impossible for us to get 2 cars in the drive, is it a visual aesthetic or what? Our plan was to get one wall up, as it said in the guidelines "A wall" meaning it can be 1, not strictly, 2.

mudslide73

My work colleague had this done about 3 weeks ago. He found out the council were about to redo the pavement then pushed through a quick application. Amazingly they got it through in time and the same contractor did the work. Still came to about £1800 though.

Obviously it's more if you need to pay for the pavement to match up. (Sandwell Council fwiw). 

mrkb

I got mine done for a crate of beer after a quick word with the contractor who was redoing the pavement.

Lestratcaster

My problem is that it must go through the local highway authority. Otherwise yes I could arrange to do it myself. My worry is that if we get the work done and its still not to their requirements its more money for nothing, but even still if we don't do anything we face a fine for leaving it unattended.

mudslide73

mudslide73 said:

My work colleague had this done about 3 weeks ago. He found out the council were about to redo the pavement then pushed through a quick application. Amazingly they got it through in time and the same contractor did the work. Still came to about £1800 though.

Obviously it's more if you need to pay for the pavement to match up. (Sandwell Council fwiw). 

Edit: it was £1200. 

boogieman

Lestratcaster said:

strtdv said:

Who stipulates that? Is it a term in the leasehold agreement? Or was it the council?

The council, when the application was approved they sent out the guidelines and we must have got confused with the wall being the sides, and not the front of the property. As the turnaround from the contractor doing the drive was very quick we didn't actually show him this plus the drawing we sent into the council which showed the walls.

I shouldn't think it would take long/cost much to build a 600mm wall though?

Its meant to look like this:



PS this isn't my house its what they want, the stupid law with the wall requirement makes it now impossible for us to get 2 cars in the drive, is it a visual aesthetic or what? Our plan was to get one wall up, as it said in the guidelines "A wall" meaning it can be 1, not strictly, 2.

How can the council dictate what you do within your own property boundaries? I take it the house isn’t listed or in a conservation area? Apart from looking ridiculous, those pointless walls limit what you can do with parking. (Or is that their point?) 

Lestratcaster

boogieman said:

Lestratcaster said:

strtdv said:

Who stipulates that? Is it a term in the leasehold agreement? Or was it the council?

The council, when the application was approved they sent out the guidelines and we must have got confused with the wall being the sides, and not the front of the property. As the turnaround from the contractor doing the drive was very quick we didn't actually show him this plus the drawing we sent into the council which showed the walls.

I shouldn't think it would take long/cost much to build a 600mm wall though?

Its meant to look like this:



PS this isn't my house its what they want, the stupid law with the wall requirement makes it now impossible for us to get 2 cars in the drive, is it a visual aesthetic or what? Our plan was to get one wall up, as it said in the guidelines "A wall" meaning it can be 1, not strictly, 2.

How can the council dictate what you do within your own property boundaries? I take it the house isn’t listed or in a conservation area? Apart from looking ridiculous, those pointless walls limit what you can do with parking. (Or is that their point?) 

You tell me lol. I don't know where that house is it must be in a terraced block (turning space perhaps) with their neighbours having a drive too. These guidelines of having a 600mm high wall came into place last year. Our neighbours who had their drive done in 2015 didn't need to put a wall as it wasn't a requirement. But yes its total bs as it won't allow us to get 2 cars in.

They've also said we haven't installed a drainage system which we clearly have (and sent in a photo). The drive slopes slightly towards the house to allow for any water to keep off the pavement. What else are we meant to do?

Guitar_Slinger

What a kerfuffle!  Afton this thread, smells like all our councils have their own twists on it.

Although mine (Barnet) also had a requirement to prove the water wouldn't be draining from my drive to the public highway.  Easy to prove, as my drive front garden is uphill and there's a grid next to my front door.