Do you need planning permission etc to turn front garden into a drive?

[Isthisthereaklife]

So I live in a detached new build, get on well with my immediate neighbours

they recently turned their front garden into a parking space for one of their cars. Our houses are close on that side so if they park there it is right next to my front garden . It doesn’t bother me at all but my ex husband is always going on about how they should have got permission etc

is he correct ? They didn’t need to get the kerb dropped cos our pavement and (v quiet ) road are on same level

Before he started going on about it I had thought it was a good idea rbh !

No, I don’t think so. Most of my neighbors have done that. No issue.

Yes but it’s usually building regs where I live rather than planning as it has to be permeable. They do need the council to drop the kerb though so the council must (should) know.

I was told during the moving process that over a certain sqm permission is required! But also that people don't tend to realize so don't bother.

Thanks @MushroomHunter

i can’t work out why it’s rattled me so much him going on about it tbh

helpful reminder of why we got divorced maybe !

Sometimes its in the covenants if you own a new build.

Kerb is flat already (hard to explain but no need to drop it )

it’s permeable material so ok re building regs i think

It really depends on various things like the size of the new hardstanding, how it's drained, whether there are any conditions on the original planning permission restricting such works.... If you want confirmation you should contact your local planning authority

But I guess even if it is in the covenants is it worth falling out with my neighbour about ? Who also feed my cat etc

www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/flats-and-maisonettes/introduction

you dont need PP if you use porous products but also depends on the square area - details here.

I suppose I am asking why would it annoy someone so much (my ex) - I hadn’t even thought about it until he started going on about it !

Normally PP would only be required if the area is more than 5 sq m in area and is not either permeable, or provided with some sort of drain.

If it is a new build, there maybe restrictions in terms of covenants imposed by the developer to prevent this to preserve the appearance of the estate, but that is separate from PP.

There is a slim chance that there may be a condition on the original PP for the house/estate requiring the front gardens to be retained, but that would be very unusual.

Am pretty sure it’s under that area, it literally just fits a v small car (fiat 500) on it , I wouldn’t fit a bigger one on

Google is your friend

blog.primethorpepaving.co.uk/planning-permission-for-driveways-what-do-you-need-to-know

Permeable with dropped kerb doesn’t need pp. - not sure building regs then come into it.
Size doesn’t matter.

Non permeable over 5m2 then pp is needed. Also to drop the kerb.,

If it's a new build I'd be shocked if there wasn't some sort of restrictive clause in the deeds forbidding this. The original development will have been optimised to the last possible fraction to maximise the amount of impermeable tarmac ratio compared with soil for soakaway and drainage. If it was genuinely ok to put a drice there then you can best your bottom dollar that the developers would have done it beforehand and charged a few extra thousand for the property.

Does your neighbour have to tread on your garden to get in and out of the car?

We did but we had to have a dropped kerb put in as well. I can't exactly remember all the details so I might not be much use but I know that if we'd lived in a neighbouring authority we wouldn't have needed planning permission. I think the dropped kerb was the county council and the parking spot was borough/parish council, but it was a new thing that we had to apply for permission from them as it was literally raised as a question in the parish council minutes the month before we applied.
We had tarmac and only enough space for one car and the neighbour got a letter asking for objections etc. We also had to display a notice on our drive for some time beforehand.

Isn’t there something about pavements having to be strengthened if driving over them, not just dropping the kerb

Yes you do often need permission to add an entry to a road, even though it isn't a kerb as such. We had no kerb but still had to get permission from highways to make it a road entry.

No, doesn’t have to tread on my garden (they couldn’t anyway cos of hedge )

Sorry, signed in with new user name ! I am the op

You don't need to have an opinion on something just because your ex does.

Does your ex still have a financial interest in your property? Otherwise I can't see why they would care at all.

I lived in a new build street where some people did this immediately and nearly everyone did it over time. Being able to park your own vehicles on your own land on new build estates is a good thing as the houses are often close together and parking problems cause tensions.

We tried to keep a little patch for a flower bed near the door, as did some other piece and some people kept a narrow strip between houses for plants which was great as otherwise the street would have looked quite desolate.

But overall, I think it's a good thing. The more places people have to park the better.

Sometimes in newer estates there are clauses in the deeds which states you can't park caravans on the drive, maybe even make changes to front gardens. But I believe if it's a residential home, and it not got any clauses then your neighbours can do what they want.

Our neighbour has asked for planning permission to convert their front garden to car parking, but it's a care home, so a business which means they do have to apply for planning

As for your ex, surely it's none of his business, if you don't mind than ignore it all, even your ex

PP is always required for access onto a classified road (C roads and above) regardless of whether the driveway needs PP.