Planning permission needed for driveway and lowering front lawn?

[GloriousEuropa]

Just a couple of points following on from what Old has said, just from a planning perspective.

If the area isn't permeable or adequately drained, you'll need planning permission for the resurfacing / regarding of the driveway.

Sloped is better IMO - if your digging out a lot of ground (a "lot" isn't a specified amount) and especially if your introducing retaining structures / elements, then you may need planning consent in its own right as the development could be considered a building / engineering operation. A slope is far less technical and probably unlikely to require consent in this regard.

Double check with the Local Authority (LA) that you don't need Planning Permission for the dropped kerb - I can't imagine you would on that street, but double check and it's usually relatively straight forward from there to get the kerb dropped with the LA.

Hi Luke thanks for all the help.

Can you see any issues with a sloped drive bearing down on the foundations just 10" below the soil?

I guess the first thing is getting a Building Control Officer around to give his thoughts. It just might be difficult at present because of the lockdown.

 

[Old Salt]

I live in Hampshire and here you need PP for a dropped kerb and have to use an approved contractor.

 

[oldbutnotdead]

Not sure it is actual planning permission for a dropped kerb- certainly up here you ask for one, they look at the road for visibility splays, junctions, any other stuff like that & check with the various utilities for any buried services that would be affected. There's no notification of neighbours or committee or owt, its a technical decision. And yes either the council do it or you have to get an approved contractor. Or you do what several people have done up near me & chucked one in on a bank holiday weekend

 

[GloriousEuropa]

Not sure it is actual planning permission for a dropped kerb- certainly up here you ask for one, they look at the road for visibility splays, junctions, any other stuff like that & check with the various utilities for any buried services that would be affected. There's no notification of neighbours or committee or owt, its a technical decision. And yes either the council do it or you have to get an approved contractor. Or you do what several people have done up near me & chucked one in on a bank holiday weekend

What have they chucked in on a bank holiday weekend?

And I’ve no problem paying the council for the dropped kerb guys. My issue is how the foundations 10” below the drive will hold. Maybe I just need to bite the bullet and pay for a BCO to come out from the local council.

 

[Alastairreid]

What have they chucked in on a bank holiday

A dropped kerb!
A scaffold pole and a splay of concrete.

The roads dept from the local authority deal with the permits for dropped Krebs where I am.
A structural engineer would advise on foundations not a Bco.

 

[GloriousEuropa]

A dropped kerb!
A scaffold pole and a splay of concrete.

The roads dept from the local authority deal with the permits for dropped Krebs where I am.
A structural engineer would advise on foundations not a Bco.

Ah so they are doing dropped kerbs during this lockdown.

And oh god, a structural engineer. Something more costly!

 

[mikeey84]

An SE would be a wise investment, as they may well be able to suggest how you could proceed with your original plan, rather than having a sloping drive, which could be tricky in the winter!

 

[GloriousEuropa]

An SE would be a wise investment, as they may well be able to suggest how you could proceed with your original plan, rather than having a sloping drive, which could be tricky in the winter!

Thanks Mikeey.

How much would consulting an SE be? £1,000+?

 

[mikeey84]

My ideas of SE prices are slightly skewed, as I got calcs for a new beam for £40 cash from a friend of a friend.

They will vary widely between one man bands and corporate types, but I would expect a site visit, survey, report and design of a retaining wall will come in well under £1k. As always, seek a personal recommendation from friends/family in the local area, and make sure they have all the requisite insurance/qualifications.

 

[GloriousEuropa]

My ideas of SE prices are slightly skewed, as I got calcs for a new beam for £40 cash from a friend of a friend.

They will vary widely between one man bands and corporate types, but I would expect a site visit, survey, report and design of a retaining wall will come in well under £1k. As always, seek a personal recommendation from friends/family in the local area, and make sure they have all the requisite insurance/qualifications.

Thanks again Mikeey! I really appreciate the help.

 

[mikeey84]

Even for a couple of hundred £ you willget a visit, and the chance to see if lowering it flat is even feasible. If requires a retaining wall that's gonna cost you £5k to build, it's probably not worth it!

 

[Tigercubrider]

Bear in mind that the drive should have a slope, so bang on flat isn't an issue.

I am no builder but I do know that they can use screw in piles and hydraulically forced in piles to reinforce banks. They did it at a place I worked at, all was done in a day. It still may be expensive but check out solutions?

 

[GloriousEuropa]

Bear in mind that the drive should have a slope, so bang on flat isn't an issue.

I am no builder but I do know that they can use screw in piles and hydraulically forced in piles to reinforce banks. They did it at a place I worked at, all was done in a day. It still may be expensive but check out solutions?

Thanks for the reply.

We have a driveway installer coming tomorrow to survey the area and give a quote. Will he recommend certain things like BCO and/or SE based on his experience?

 

[Old Salt]

Ask him what he thinks about an SE and a BCO. He will also know if you need PP for the dropped kerb.

The guy who did my driveway used to work for the highways agency. Following a complaint from a neighbour the agency person turned up and it was his old boss. After having a catch up they left saying "no problems here" lmao.

 

[cdbe]

In my opinion you're overthinking this a bit. Google "angle of repose" to get an idea of what you can do near the foundation. Slope the driveway up so the subbase finishes level with the top of the concrete and the finish covers it. If the slope is too steep you can consider things like a "step" or a steeper section about 2 feet from the wall - picture your car - the wheels should be at least 2 feet from the wall so you only need to take account of the overhang of the car a bit like in a carpark where the front goes over the kerb until your wheels touch it.

I lowered my ground level by about 300mm, I actually excavated 500mm and exposed the foundation but the subbase and block paving added back 200mm. You can make out the original ground level (2 courses below the top airbricks and see where I had to render over 4 courses of exposed foundation bricks because they weren't facing bricks.

I could have gone lower and made the slope flatter but didn't want loads of steps up to the front door.