Any planning people around who could help please?

[DarkLikeVader]

Hey, I'm hoping someone can give me an answer and save me having to spend £100 asking the council, sorry for being cheeky! It's a long one I'm afraid.

I want to create a new entrance to my front garden, what we have currently is a narrow path with steps, high walls either side; it's rubbish for crossing the road at the bottom thanks to being on a bend and the high walls/narrow pavement combo and will be impossible with a pram (DS due January!).

It would constitute a new entrance as I'd like it further down the garden and not right on the bend of the road. I'm not planning on dropping the curb so I don't think I need planning permission but as it's a £5k+ job I thought it'd be best to check.

The front wall is currently 1.5 meter high along the pavement, as our property is 1.5m above the road level.

I want to dig out approx 6 meter width and move the wall back away 2m from the pavement creating a 12 m square graveled area for bins etc, (digging out 6 x 2m x 1.5 = 18 cubic metres).

Then from that have two 1.75 metre wide walls and a 2.5 meter wide entrance/slope (adding up to the 6m dug out) up to the house with a 1m wide block paved path in the centre of the 2.5 meter wide slope.

I don't plan on exceeding the 5 metre square non porous path rule and will likely use the garden behind as a soak away or porous materials for the path any way.

I can't see anywhere that says I should have planning permission for this, but as I'm digging out such a large section and it could be construed as a new entrance to the highway I'd really appreciate any advice..! Sorry it's so long.

[DarkLikeVader]

I can post a (badly drawn!) diagram if that makes it clearer!

[CherryAlmond]

I have no idea. But I would contact the council, for peace of mind if nothing else.

[MirabelleTree]

Isn't there something about needing planning for anything between the front of the house and the highway over 90cm? I could be totally wrong about this.

We've just done a new drive access so a bit different but did need planning as well as permission from highways. Part of the condition was to submit the specification for approval before work began. I think doing anything like this when it comes to selling it would be an idea to have something in writing from the Council so would pay on this occasion.

[whatsthecomingoverthehill]

It sounds like the wall is a retaining wall, and you're wanting to shift it back a fair way. How close to the house will the new wall be?

My gut feeling is that it probably would need planning.

[DarkLikeVader]

Bums, looks like I need to bite the bullet and make an appointment to chat to the planning office then. I suppose it's sensible.

whatsthe I guess it's a retaining wall in that it holds the garden up! The new wall will be about 9m away from the house still - it's in the front garden but to the side of the house (we have a big garden to the side and back of the house). Does that make a difference?

[JT05]

I am surprised at the cost of pre planning advice. Our local council charge £40.

[SingingTunelessly]

Pretty sure if you're creating a new access on to a public highway you need Highways permission at the very least.

[DarkLikeVader]

It's £102 for our council and that's the cheapest band, which this falls into (under driveways I guess). Whereabouts in the country are you that's so cheap?! we're southwest.

[DarkLikeVader]

Does it count as a new access on the highway if the kerb isn't dropped though?

[DarkLikeVader]

Oh also I'm not planning on driving across the pavement to access our property - this is purely so I have a safe place to leave the property with a pram and my DD and so, when they change us to wheelie bins next year we will have somewhere to put one - currently a bin would have to block the entire narrow pavement, and I'd struggle to bump a full bin up and down the steps...