You can read Suffolk County Council's statement on our website.
![Councillor Peter Gould](/image-library/peter-gould-ws-hr-1.xb6cb8b20.jpg?width=470&height=256&fit=crop&quality=75&format=webp)
You can read Suffolk County Council's statement on our website.
A dropped kerb (also known as a vehicle access, pavement crossover or driveway access) allows vehicles to enter a driveway or parking area from the road without damaging the highway. This is by the lowering of kerbs and/or the strengthening of pavements and/or verges.
The highway can be the road, pavement or grass verge/bank. You legally need permission from us to work on the highway.
To avoid your application being refused, visit criteria for dropped kerb accesses for full details or alternatively you can read the criteria by downloading the criteria for dropped kerb accesses document.
Please do not presume that your application kerb will be approved - not all properties along a section of road can have a dropped kerb.
Please remember the application fee of £430 is non-refundable.
Where your application may differ from the criteria or if you are in any doubt over whether your application will be acceptable, you will need to apply for pre-application advice the fee for this is £215.
You legally need our permission to work on a publicly maintained highway for:
This application process is only suitable for accesses for one or two dwellings.
Accesses to larger domestic developments, industrial or commercial sites should be delivered using S278 of the Highways Act. To discuss entering into a S278 agreement, email highways.developmentcontrol@suffolk.gov.uk or find more information about an application for works licence.
Please do not send queries or complaints to this email address which are unrelated to a development. To report a problem please use the insight reporting tool.
For access to the A11, A14 or some parts of the A12, contact National Highways.
You'll need planning permission from your local District or Borough council before you apply to us, if the dropped kerb:
You're responsible to get planning permission from the local planning authority before you apply.
If you know who your district or borough council is, find a link for to their planning pages:
If you don't know your local district or borough council, you can visit GOV.UK to find out who your local council is.
You must get permission from your landlord before you apply.
Other things to consider and get advice about, include:
We recommend you read the dropped kerb/vehicle access criteria found in step 1 before you apply and prevent your application from being rejected.
Only apply if you meet the dropped kerb/vehicle access criteria. To read the criteria, go back to step 1. The application fee of £430.00 is non-refundable.
If a neighbouring property already has a dropped kerb, don't assume you'll also get permission if you apply. Each application is considered against the current criteria.
Send your completed application by:
Go to stage 5 to pay for a dropped kerb application.
Only apply if you meet the dropped kerb/vehicle access criteria. To read the criteria, go back to step 1. The application fee of £430.00 is non-refundable.
We recommend you do not use Internet Explorer to access our payment system, as you may experience more issues compared to other web browsers.
Your application won’t be processed until after you've paid the application fee.
Send your completed application form and cheque for £430, payable to Suffolk County Council, to:
Suffolk Highways
Phoenix House
3 Goddard Road
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP1 5NP
There will be a delay to the process by 7 days until the authorisation of the cheque clearance has been received.
We'll carry out a site visit to check the application against the criteria and respond within 20 working days.
You’ll receive a response from us explaining the reasons for the refusal. The fee is non-refundable even if the application is refused
You'll receive an approval letter and construction drawings if your application does fit the criteria. You can then arrange for an accredited contractor to book road space and construct the dropped kerb/vehicle access to our specification.
The construction work must be completed within one year from the date of the approval letter after which you will be required to submit a new application with all applicable fees or apply for an extension to your approval.
It's a legal requirement under the New Roads and Street Works Act (1991) that any contractor excavating or working in the highway has:
As the applicant, you are responsible for ensuring your contractor has the necessary qualifications (Please see link above) and the necessary insurance cover, to undertake the work.
You are also responsible for ensuring that your contractor applies to the Traffic Management team at developernoticing@suffolkhighways.org prior to commencing any work, to arrange the booking of road space. We will also check qualifications and insurance cover at this point.
It's an offence to carry out works within the public highway (including public rights of way) without the permission of the highway authority.
Following the booking of road space, Suffolk Highways will be made aware of the date when works are to be carried out.
During this time and after completion, you are responsible for ensuring the area of work is made available for inspection to assess that the crossing is constructed in accordance with our guidance and specification and is in the approved location.
Should the dropped kerb access be different to that agreed, you will be instructed to put it right. The alternative will be that Suffolk Highways will undertake the necessary work and charge you for this.
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