Dropped Kerb Leeds
Want to park on your front garden? Here's how getting a dropped kerb works in Leeds, and how we build the driveway behind it.
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Dropped kerbs in Leeds
If you want to drive from the road onto your property, you need a dropped kerb, which Leeds City Council calls a vehicle crossing. Because the work is on the public footpath, it needs the council's permission before anything is built, and the council sets out how the work must be done.
Most of the time on a dropped kerb is spent with the council rather than on site. The building work itself usually takes a few days once it's scheduled, but from first application to a finished crossing can take several months.
How the Leeds process works
1. Check you qualify
There must be room for a hard standing inside your boundary, with at least 5 metres between the boundary and the house. Crossings onto A, B or C roads, or over land that isn't highway, also need planning permission. Council tenants should contact their housing office first.
2. Request an inspection
Apply online through Leeds City Council. A highways inspector contacts you and takes payment for the inspection fee before visiting.
3. Get permission
If everything meets the requirements, the council sends a commencement letter permitting construction.
4. Build the crossing
The crossing must be built by a contractor accredited under the New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA), who applies for a Section 171 licence to dig up the highway.
Process and fees as published by Leeds City Council, checked October 2026.
What it costs
The council's site inspection fee is £55.06, non-refundable, and paid before the inspection. The Section 171 licence is £345.90. The council puts a standard crossing at around £1,500 to build, quoted by the contractor. Moving a street lamp or telecoms pole is a separate charge, arranged with the company that owns it.
How we help
We build the part on your side of the boundary: the driveway or hard standing the council needs to see, finished to meet the new crossing. We'll look at the levels and drainage at the survey, so the driveway ties in neatly with the pavement and rainwater doesn't run towards the house.
At the survey we'll also talk you through the crossing itself and who will need to build it.
Standard and tactile dropped kerbs
There are two main types of dropped kerb. Tactile dropped kerbs have a textured surface of raised bumps or bars that people with visual impairments can feel underfoot or with a cane, and they're used at crossing points. Standard dropped kerbs are a lowered section of kerb without the texture.
A vehicle crossing to a driveway is a standard dropped kerb.
Dropped kerb questions answered
Do I need permission for a dropped kerb in Leeds?
Yes. It involves altering the public highway, so you need Leeds City Council's permission first. Planning permission is also needed if the crossing is onto an A, B or C road or crosses land that isn't highway.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Leeds?
The council's inspection fee is £55.06 and the Section 171 licence £345.90. The council puts a standard crossing at around £1,500 to build. Moving street furniture costs extra.
How long does it take?
The building work takes a few days. The council stage takes longest, so allow several months from application to a finished crossing.
Who can build the crossing?
Leeds City Council requires a contractor accredited under the New Roads and Street Works Act, who must apply for a Section 171 licence before digging up the highway.
Can you build the driveway behind the dropped kerb?
Yes. That's the part we specialise in: the driveway or hard standing on your side of the boundary, laid on a proper base with the drainage planned in.
Planning a new driveway?
Send us a photo of your front garden and we'll come back with ideas and an estimated price, or call 0113 519 1919.