Parking on front garden Post your questions and get answers regarding all areas of drives, pathways and patios

[Sparkgap]

I am thinking about paving over my small front garden to make a parking space off the road. As there is no pavement and access will be straight off the road onto my garden do I need planning permission or some form of highways agreement? This isn't a conservation area or main road, just a back street.

[pmmf]

Hi, You will need to contact your local council's transport and highways department. I live in Lambeth, London, and they have a lengthy application process for this. Guess it depends on whether you would cross a pavement to get onto your garden, and the size of your front garden is also crucial. Luckily you do not seem to be on a red route, and if you are not close to a school that also helps.... Good luck! And.... for environmental reasons, consider keeping as much planting as possible around the parking space :) Also looks better!

[goose]

I've seen something the other day about using blocks which allow the water through to help reduce water run off and in some versions allow small alpine type plants to grow through. makes a nicer looking and more enviromental drive. Its something that I'm considering at the moment.
good luck.

[rosebery]

You must talk to your council. You do not have vehicular right of way over the pavement just because you've knocked your wall down or removed the fence.

They will inevitably make you have a dropped curb if they agree which you will have to pay for - don't expect it to be cheap.

Some councils in Greater London have started putting in bollards where people have done this without permission/agreement and after having been warned several times to prevent vehicle entry/exit - sometimes even when the car is still inside thus neatly trapping it! They are perfectly within their rights to do so BTW.

Cheers

[rosebery]

Sorry - misread the lead post about lack of pavement. You should still discuss it with your local council though.

Cheers

BTW My previous post applies to those who do have a pavement to cross however, so I'll not delete it later.