Dropped kerb in Sheffield: the rules and fees
Sheffield City Council charges £220 to apply and wants a parking space at least 5 m deep. The fee is not refunded. The crossing must be at least 10 m from a junction (up to 15 m on main roads).
Read from Sheffield City Council’s own pages on 11 October 2026. Sheffield. The city council is both the highway authority and the planning authority.
- Fee: Sheffield City Council charges £220 to apply, not refunded.
- Space: a parking space at least 5 m deep.
- Junctions: at least 10 m from a junction (up to 15 m on main roads).
- Who builds it: Sheffield lets you hire your own qualified contractor.
- Decision: About 10 weeks from receiving the application.
Sheffield’s rules, one by one
| Rule | What Sheffield asks | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Depth of the space | The parking area should be at least 5 m long, measured at right angles to the highway. | SCC application form 2026, Application form, question 6 |
| The crossing it builds | A single crossing is 4.5 m including the taper kerbs, a double 6.3 m; no access may exceed 6.3 m, counting any existing crossing. | SCC application form 2026, Application form, questions 4 and 5 |
| Distance from a junction | At least 10 m from any junction, 15 m on major roads or at busy junctions. | SCC application form 2026, Application form, question 7 |
| Seeing along the road | A 2 m clear line of sight to the left and right of the crossing, judged vertically and horizontally. | SCC application form 2026, Application form, question 14 |
| Street trees | From the trunk to the start of the lowered kerb must be more than 4 times the trunk circumference. | SCC application form 2026, Application form, question 9 |
| Street lights | At least 1 m from street lighting columns, BT poles and other street furniture. | SCC application form 2026, Application form, question 10 |
| Other street furniture | At least 1 m from street lighting columns, BT poles and other street furniture. | SCC application form 2026, Application form, question 10 |
| Bus stops | At least 1 m from a bus stop. | SCC application form 2026, Application form, question 8 |
| Slopes | A verge or footway steeper than 1 in 6 may not be approved, as cars could ground. | SCC application form 2026, Application form, question 12 |
| Parking bays and laybys | A parking bay or service strip in front of the property may rule the location out. | SCC application form 2026, Application form, question 13 |
| Drainage | Water must not drain from the parking area on to the highway: use a soakaway or a permeable surface. | SCC application form 2026, Application form, question 15 |
| Loose gravel | Loose chippings and unbound surfaces are not permitted. | SCC application form 2026, Application form, question 15 |
| Permission from the owner | Tenants of private landlords or housing associations need the landlord’s written permission; council tenants ask Housing Services first. | SCC application form 2026, Application form, question 1 |
What it costs in Sheffield
| What you pay | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee (domestic) | £220 | SCC dropped kerb page |
| Building the crossingYour contractor quotes and is paid by you. | quoted for your site | SCC application form 2026 |
Sheffield lets you hire your own qualified contractor. The council does not build crossings. You pay a contractor from its registered list, or one it approves first with £2 million public liability insurance and supervisor-level street works accreditation.
Applying, and what happens next
- About 10 weeks from receiving the application.
- Not stated; a 12-month maintenance period runs from completion, during which you or your contractor can be held responsible for defects.
- The council may refuse any application; the fee is not refunded.
Planning permission in Sheffield
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; Sheffield adds:
- Sheffield says a classified road, a conservation area or a listed building needs planning permission first, except for works Amey does as part of a maintenance scheme. (SCC dropped kerb page)
Also worth knowing in Sheffield
- A copy of an earlier permission certificate costs £40. (SCC dropped kerb page)
Questions
Does Sheffield refund the fee if it refuses?
No. The £220 is not refunded, so check the frontage against the rules first.
Can I use my own contractor in Sheffield?
The council does not build crossings. You pay a contractor from its registered list, or one it approves first with £2 million public liability insurance and supervisor-level street works accreditation.
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.
- Leeds rules and fees£55.06 to apply, a space 5 m deep.
- Manchester rules and feesNo fee published; from £1,575, a space 4.8 m deep.
- Birmingham rules and fees£125 to apply, a space 4.75 m deep.
Sources: Sheffield City Council, Request a dropped kerb; Sheffield City Council, Domestic Vehicular Crossing Application, 2026 (Highways Act 1980, section 184); 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.