Do I need a dropped kerb in Norwich?
Yes, if you are turning a front garden into a driveway, you need permission from Norfolk County Council to cross the pavement, even if the driveway itself is entirely on your own land. Norfolk County Council charges a non-refundable application fee of £193.92, and the crossing itself is built by the council’s contractor, not by your driveway installer.
This is the step most homeowners discover late, and it is the one that delays projects.
Why you cannot just drive over the kerb
The pavement and the kerb are highway, not your property. Driving a vehicle across a full-height kerb without an approved crossing can damage buried utilities, break the kerb, and leaves you liable. Councils do enforce it.
A vehicle access crossing (the formal name for a dropped kerb) lowers the kerb and strengthens the pavement construction underneath so it can take vehicle weight.
What it costs in Norfolk
| Item | Cost |
| Application fee, non-refundable | £193.92 |
| Construction of the crossing | around £3,050 (2026), carried out by the council’s contractor |
| Planning permission, if required | Charged separately by your district or borough council |
| Your driveway itself | Quoted separately by us |
The application fee is payable whether or not the application is approved, which is why it is worth checking the likely refusal reasons before you apply.
How to apply, step by step
- Check whether you also need planning permission. If your property is on a classified road, or is listed or in a conservation area, you will need permission from your district, borough or city council Norwich City Council, Broadland, South Norfolk, Breckland, Great Yarmouth, North Norfolk or King’s Lynn & West Norfolk, depending on where you are.
- Apply to Norfolk County Council for the vehicle access crossing and pay the application fee.
- Site assessment. A highways officer inspects the location for visibility, proximity to junctions, street furniture, trees and buried services.
- Approval and quotation for the construction work.
- Construction by the council’s contractor.
- Your driveway best sequenced so the driveway surface meets the finished crossing level. Talk to us before you apply and we will tell you what levels to expect.
Why dropped kerb applications get refused
- Too close to a road junction
- Poor visibility splay in one or both directions
- A street tree, lamp column, telecoms cabinet or drainage gully in the way
- Buried utilities that cannot be economically diverted
- Insufficient depth on your own land to park a car clear of the footway, a car overhanging the pavement is a refusal reason
- The road is a red route or has parking restrictions that conflict
The depth point catches people out. You need enough space on your property for a vehicle to stand entirely clear of the pavement. On many Victorian terraces in Norwich, the front garden is simply not deep enough, and no amount of driveway work changes that.
How long does it take?
Timescales vary with demand. Budget for the application and assessment to take several weeks before construction is scheduled, and do not book your driveway installation until the crossing is approved. Check current timescales with Norfolk County Council when you apply, we do not publish a figure we cannot stand behind.
How this fits with your driveway
The sensible order is:
- Confirm the dropped kerb is likely to be approved
- Get your driveway quote so you know the full project cost
- Apply for the crossing
- Have the crossing built
- Have the driveway installed to meet the finished levels
We are happy to look at a property and give you an honest view on whether a crossing is likely to be approved before you spend the application fee. Call 01603 858680.
Frequently asked questions
Can my driveway contractor install the dropped kerb?
No. In Norfolk the crossing is constructed by the council’s appointed contractor. Anyone offering to do it themselves is not producing an approved crossing.
Do I need planning permission as well as the crossing approval?
Sometimes. It depends on whether your property is on a classified road, and on conservation area or listed building status. Check with your district or borough council before applying.
Is the application fee refundable if I’m refused?
No. The Norfolk County Council application fee is non-refundable, which is why it is worth assessing the likely outcome first.
Do I need permission if there’s already a dropped kerb?
Not if it is an existing approved crossing in good condition. You may need permission to widen or extend it.