Hi Everybody

I was wondering if I could get some help and advice.

We recently brought a house with no vehicle cross over (driveway) in place. Although the front garden has been block paved in preperation for a driveway.

We sent an application to The Highways Agency and someone came round to look at the house.

He said that our driveway was 20cm short of the required length but would approve our application to save us going through the appeals process with The Highways Agency.

Our next step was to apply to our local council as there is a section of grass that the council need to prepare and tarmac over ready for The Highways Agency to tarmac the pathways and drop the kerb stones.

Our Council denied our application.

Can someone please advise me what is the next best course of action.

I wish to appeal this decision but dont know who to appeal to and what to include in my letter.

Our front garden has more than enough room to accommodate the length of our cars. And the parking on our road is ridiculous.

Looking forward to hearing your replies.

Hi EVM

Welcome to CAG

The guys will advise as soon as they are available.

Hello,

More information is required, do you know what type of road classification you live on? ie is it just a local road / side road or is it a main distributor road?.

I am going to guess that you live on a main distributor road, which is why your having issues. The main one being that your driveway access has to be sufficiently large enough so that you can turn your vehicle around within it and not have to reverse on to the highway to get out.

Do you need to also apply for planning permission? this is usual as well on principal roads.

Contact the council and ask for a photocopy of the "design manual for estates roads" page relating to "driveways"

Hi

Our road is an unclassified residential road with a primary school at the far end and is also used by a bus.

In my opinon it is a local/side road. it is not a main road and is not busy.

You can easily reverse out a driveway onto the road as our neighbours do so.

They reject us based on our driveway being too short......by 26cm.

We sent an appeal letter to our original rejected letter to the council. It has still been rejected.

The highways agency has approved us but we just need council approval for the grass.

What is our next step and what do i do with a photocopy of the "design manual for estates roads" page relating to "driveways" when i receive one??

Thank you for your time with this matter and helping us out.

OP in your original post you refer to applying to The Highways Agency, you do mean The Highway Agency as in an Executive Agency of The Department for Transport or a department in your County Council with a similar name? My reason for asking is you state that the road is relatively minor but The Highways Agency would normally only be responsible for such decisons on major trunk roads.

The highways agency is in charge of dropping the kurb and cementing the driveway. Dacorum council is in charge of changing the grass so that the highway agency can cement over it.

Our road is a standard residential side road not a main or major road where you find it hard to reverse out of a driveway.

Ok so it was Hertfordshire Highways and not The Highways Agency who came out to see what you wanted done and approved it.

What grounds did Decorum Council give for refusing your application? And was this the planning department of the council?

The highways agency is in charge of dropping the kurb and cementing the driveway. Dacorum council is in charge of changing the grass so that the highway agency can cement over it.

 

Our road is a standard residential side road not a main or major road where you find it hard to reverse out of a driveway.

Your situation is a little odd. Usually the Highways Authority i.e the County Council would be responsible for the whole of the footway area including any Grass verges. I dont see how your local council would be responsible for a grassed area unless it was A) A community play area B) the houses in the street used to be council houses.

Can you find out from the County Council what their minimum length criteria is for a driveway (usually 4.5m) and what is the exact length of your current hardstanding area. Whilst your on the phone (best way to get info) to the County Council Highways Department ask them why the grassed area outside your house is not Highway Authority land but apparantly Local Auhtority ownership. Also tell them that as they have granted you approval for a driveway drop kerb, on what grounds can the local authority object, as the local authority should have no powers over the Highways Autnority decision.

As far as im concerned if you have consent from the Highways Authority at the County Council then the Local Authority are just being stupid. Dont take no for answer. If you fulfill the Highways Authority criteria then you should make a big issue of this with the local authority. I would start writing your letter of complaint, which I will help you with if you want.

Also are you able to scan a copy of the approval/consent letter from the County Council for your original application.