Do you need planning permission for a new driveway or dropped kerb?
Paving a front garden is usually permitted development if the surface is permeable or drains to a garden area. The dropped kerb itself always needs separate permission from the highway authority.
Across the 31 councils we track, 76% of 3,185 decided driveway or dropped kerb applications were approved, and typical council decision times run 9 to 11 weeks (public planning record to 25 Jun 2026).
First, about your home
Now, about a new driveway or dropped kerb
0 of 5 questions answered. Answer them all to see where your project stands. Not sure is always an option.
What actually happens in your council
If you do end up applying, real decisions show what to expect. Pick your council for its approval rate and typical decision time for driveway or dropped kerb applications, from the public planning record.
The rules this checker tests, cited
England’s permitted development limits for a new driveway or dropped kerb, checked against the official guidance on 2026-07-17. Every rule links to its source.
- A new hard surface of more than 5 square metres between the front of the house and the road must be permeable, or direct rainwater to a lawn or border, to be permitted development. GPDO Schedule 2, Part 1, Class F, paragraph F.2 (opens in new tab)
- Lowering the kerb needs consent from the highway authority (usually the council) whatever the planning position, and on a classified road the crossover also needs planning permission. Highways Act 1980, section 184, and GPDO Schedule 2, Part 2, Class B (opens in new tab)
Building Regulations are separate from planning. A driveway itself does not need Building Regulations approval, but the crossover work on the public footpath must be done by an approved contractor for the highway authority.
If permission is needed: usually a £272 application in England (fees from 1 April 2026, indexed each year, per the official fee guide (opens in new tab)). A Lawful Development Certificate for a proposed project is £274.
If you take it forward
Real planning history beats promises. See which architects and agents know your council, check approval odds by council and project, or browse traders with public evidence:
Common questions
Do I need planning permission for a new driveway or dropped kerb in England?
Often not: Paving a front garden is usually permitted development if the surface is permeable or drains to a garden area. The dropped kerb itself always needs separate permission from the highway authority. Every limit has to be met, the rights apply to houses (not flats), and they can be removed locally by an Article 4 direction or a condition on an earlier permission. A Lawful Development Certificate from your council is the way to be certain.
Will more than 5 square metres of the front garden be paved with a sealed surface (no drainage to soil)?
A new hard surface of more than 5 square metres between the front of the house and the road must be permeable, or direct rainwater to a lawn or border, to be permitted development. Source: GPDO Schedule 2, Part 1, Class F, paragraph F.2.
Will you need the kerb lowered so a vehicle can cross the pavement?
Lowering the kerb needs consent from the highway authority (usually the council) whatever the planning position, and on a classified road the crossover also needs planning permission. Source: Highways Act 1980, section 184, and GPDO Schedule 2, Part 2, Class B.
How much does a planning application for a new driveway or dropped kerb cost?
If permission is needed, this kind of project is usually a £272 application in England (fees from 1 April 2026, indexed annually). A Lawful Development Certificate for a proposed project costs half the application fee.
Guidance from the public rules, not legal advice. Your council has the final say. The rules on this page are England law; Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own versions.
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