Dropped kerb in Manchester: the rules and fees
Manchester City Council publishes no application fee and quotes from £1,575 for a new dropped kerb, with a parking space at least 4.8 m deep and 3.5 m wide.
Read from Manchester City Council’s own pages on 11 October 2026. Manchester. The city council is both the highway authority and the planning authority.
- Fee: Manchester City Council publishes no application fee: it quotes after assessing, and a new dropped kerb starts at £1,575, paid before the work.
- Space: a parking space at least 4.8 m deep and 3.5 m wide.
- Junctions: judged on site
- Who builds it: Manchester builds the crossing itself.
- Decision: Not stated. An application closes 90 days after the approval and cost if you do not reply.
Manchester’s rules, one by one
| Rule | What Manchester asks | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Depth of the space | At least 4.8 m deep by 3.5 m wide for pulling straight on and off, or 3 m deep by 6 m wide for side-on parking; meeting this does not guarantee approval. | MCC requirements page, Requirements, parking area |
| Width of the space | At least 3.5 m wide; 6 m for parallel parking. | MCC requirements page, Requirements, parking area |
| The crossing it builds | The minimum new dropped kerb is about 3 m wide. | MCC requirements page, Requirements, crossing and costs |
| Street trees | Any work under a tree’s branches needs the arboriculture team’s permission, which can move the access; the council will not damage a tree for a dropped kerb. | MCC requirements page, Requirements, trees |
| Street lights | Obstructions that have to be removed cost extra. | MCC requirements page, Requirements, crossing and costs |
| Other street furniture | Obstructions that have to be removed cost extra. | MCC requirements page, Requirements, crossing and costs |
| Grass verges | Going through a grass verge is the most expensive kind; land that is not adopted highway needs planning permission and its owner’s consent. | MCC requirements page, Requirements, verge and unadopted areas |
| The drive surface | All driveways must be built in permeable material. | MCC requirements page, Requirements, planning |
| Permission from the owner | Crossing land that is not adopted highway needs the owner’s permission. | MCC requirements page, Requirements, verge and unadopted areas |
What it costs in Manchester
| What you pay | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Building the crossingA new dropped kerb, about 3 m wide and up to 2 m towards the property, starts at Wider kerbs, deeper crossings, verges and obstructions cost more. | from £1,575 | MCC requirements page |
Manchester builds the crossing itself. The council assesses the application, tells you about any planning permission needed, then quotes; you pay before it starts work.
Applying, and what happens next
- Not stated. An application closes 90 days after the approval and cost if you do not reply.
- Applications stay open for 90 days from the application date.
- Not stated on the pages.
Planning permission in Manchester
The highway consent and planning permission are separate. Nationally, an access on to an unclassified road and a porous or drained hard surface are permitted development for a house; Manchester adds:
- Manchester says planning permission is required for every dropped kerb on a road that is not unclassified, including its key route network. (MCC requirements page)
- A new driveway, or removing a wall or fence, may need planning permission too; send the approval with the application. (MCC requirements page)
Questions
Can I use my own contractor in Manchester?
The council assesses the application, tells you about any planning permission needed, then quotes; you pay before it starts work.
How long is a Manchester approval valid?
Applications stay open for 90 days from the application date.
Related
- Check your driveway in 3DEvery rule for your council, in 3D.
- Dropped kerb rules comparedDepth, width, splays, junctions, trees.
- What it costsFees from £55.06 to £500, and the works.
- Lancashire rules and fees£290 to apply, a space 4.8 m deep.
- Leeds rules and fees£55.06 to apply, a space 5 m deep.
- Birmingham rules and fees£125 to apply, a space 4.75 m deep.
Sources: Manchester City Council, Dropped kerbs: definition and requirements; Manchester City Council, Dropped kerbs: apply; all read on 11 October 2026. National rules: Highways Act 1980, s.184, GPDO 2015, Part 2 Class B and Part 1 Class F. legislation.gov.uk and GOV.UK content is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0; council figures are quoted as facts with their source, not copied text. Not legal advice and not a decision: the council decides after its own site visit. Not affiliated with any council or government department.