If you have space to park in your front garden, you can apply to have a slope built from the road to your gateway, to make it easier to drive your vehicle in. This slope is also referred to as a 'residential domestic crossover'.

You should not carry out any work to create a hardstanding before applying for a crossover. 

Before we approve your application for a residential domestic crossover, you'll have to have an inspection and assessment by one of our Highways officers to see if it's possible to build it and to confirm the cost for the works. There's a £117 non-refundable fee for this inspection. The inspection could take up to one month after your payment is cleared and you will be contacted in writing as to whether or not the application is approved, and a quote sent to you detailing costs. Upon receiving payment, the Highways officer will return to mark out the extent of the crossover and arrange for the work to be done by the Council’s Highways contractor.

A full width crossover or extension to an existing crossover must be within the property boundary of the property applying and not overlap with a neighbouring property. The Council does not guarantee that a crossover will be suitable for use by any particular vehicle (for example a vehicle with low ground clearance). 

If your application is not approved, we will inform you of the reason(s) in writing. Applications are assessed in line with the criteria outlined within our crossover policy. Under the Highways Act 1980, there is no statutory appeals process, however all applications are considered fairly in line with our Crossover Policy. You can make a request for the decision to be reviewed. A review will not be carried out where the application is refused due to the required measurements of 2.5 metres wide by 4.8 metres deep not being met. 

Should you request a review, you must write to us, clearly setting out the reasons why you consider the criteria within our policy were not correctly applied. Your review will be investigated and considered via our formal complaints procedure. 

You can get in touch either by email or at the address below.

Business Support Team, 5th Floor, The Woolwich Centre, 35 Wellington Street, London SE18 6HQ

Apply for a New Residential Domestic Crossover (dropped kerb)

We are no longer accepting applications for full width crossovers, which result in the loss of on-street parking, on the following streets:

• Earlshall Road
• Lamport Close
• Keightley Drive
• A close off Church Manor Way
• Crookston Road
• Small closes on Mottisfont Road
• Dunvegan Road
• Eltham Park Gardens
• Greenvale Road

The general guidelines are:

• residential domestic crossovers can only be used for vehicles that weigh less than 3.5 tonnes 
• the minimum width of a residential domestic crossovers is 3.9 metres with wings (wings are where the dropped kerb slopes back up to pavement level) 
• the maximum width is 5.4 metres with wings 
• the front garden must be at least 4.8 metres deep and at right angles to the carriageway. i.e., distance between the building line and the highway. This shall be the clear depth that the vehicle can safely park within. Permission will be refused if the measurement is less than 4.8 metres. Parallel parking to the carriageway will not be permitted. 
• you'll need to have a hard area to park your car on. This must be at least 2.5 metres in width and include suitable drainage so that rainwater does not drain off onto the public highway. This could be in the form and a drainage channel and soak-away. Please visit our Planning pages or the Planning Portal for further information. 

Meeting these guidelines does not automatically mean you can have a dropped kerb. There may be other factors that we need to take into consideration.

Download our Residential Domestic Vehicle Crossover Policy

Apply for a dropped kerb

Planning permission

In certain cases, particularly on classified roads, in conservation areas, or where rainwater does not drain into the garden naturally, you will need to get planning permission before you apply for a dropped kerb.

You cannot apply for a vehicular crossover:

• on a classified road unless or until you have planning permission
• if it would access a hardstanding that does not meet the government’s basic drainage requirements unless or until you have planning permission
• if it would affect a property or boundary wall that is listed unless or until you have listed buildings consent
• to flats or maisonette unless or until you have planning permission for the hard standing it would access
• to the following properties unless or until you have planning permission:
  1. to make a hard surface at the front of these properties in Ashburnham Triangle Conservation Area:
     • Ashburnham Grove 1-43 (consec) excluding 25, 44-74 (consec)
     • Ashburnham Place 10-38 (consec) 44-72 (consec)
     • Catherine Grove 1-5 (consec) 10-14 (consec)
  2. to make a hard-surface within these curtilages of houses in Shrewsbury Park Estate Conservation Area:
     • Ashridge Crescent 1-105 (odd) 2 to 58 (even)
     • Bushmoor Crescent 1-31 and 43-49 (odd) 2-74 (even)
     • Kinlet Road 1- 47 (odd) 2-38 (even)
     • Mereworth Drive 1- 63 (odd) 2-56 (even)
     • Plum Lane 183-223 (odd)

See a list classified roads in Royal Greenwich

If you think you need planning permission, contact our Planning department

Apply for planning permission

Council-owned property

If the property is Council-owned, you'll need to get permission to build a dropped kerb from our Housing Services team.

Privately rented property

If you rent privately, you need to get your landlord's permission before you apply.

How long does installation take?

We aim to install dropped kerbs within 16 weeks from the clearance of your payment and weather permitting. It may take longer if parking restrictions need to be amended or street furniture and utility apparatus need to be moved.

Can I apply if my parking space is not ready yet?

Yes, you can apply for a dropped kerb before you build a hard area. You should not construct an area to park before applying. After receipt of the inspection fee, the Highways officer will visit your property to determine whether there is sufficient space for a hardstanding to be constructed. If approved, you will be sent a quotation and you should contact us to let us know when your hardstanding is finished. The officer will return to inspect the hardstanding and arrange for the crossover to be constructed. We will not install a dropped kerb until there is a suitable hard area in your front garden to park your vehicle 

You should have the parking area ready within three months of the date of your letter of approval. If you do not do this, you'll be charged an additional administration charge of £50.

Are there any additional costs?

Yes, you may need to pay for the relocation of lamp columns, utilities and other street furniture. You’ll be informed of this when we contact you. You will also have to cover the costs for legal Traffic Management Orders required to amend any parking bays or restrictions affected by your crossover. You may be able to reduce the parking amendment costs and will be advised of this option when we contact you.

What if I change my mind?

You can get a refund if you pay and then change your mind before building starts, but an administration fee of £25 will be charged.