Dropped kerb on a 1970s–80s Milton Keynes estate house, typical of Bletchley

Dropped kerbs in Bletchley

How dropped kerbs work in Bletchley, what Milton Keynes City Council charges and requires, and how we build the driveway to meet it.

Book a free visit Call 01908 104408

In Bletchley, a dropped kerb needs permission from Milton Keynes City Council before any work touches the footway. You apply as the homeowner (£237), then your contractor — who must hold an NRSWA street works qualification and public liability insurance — takes out a Private Opening Licence (£537) and builds it under council inspection.

Highway authority: Milton Keynes City Council
Council fees: £237 residential application, plus £537 for the contractor’s Private Opening Licence
Who builds it: Your own contractor with an NRSWA street works qualification and public liability insurance
Timescale: Licence valid for 6 months; 24-month maintenance period after

Council fees checked October 2026. See Milton Keynes City Council’s own guidance.

How it works in Bletchley

Getting a dropped kerb approved in Bletchley

Step 1You apply to Milton Keynes City Council and pay the £237 residential fee. The council visits and assesses the site.
Step 2Once approved, your contractor applies for a Private Opening Licence (£537), which covers up to five inspections and the completion certificate.
Step 3The crossing is built to the council’s specification within six months of the licence and inspected as it goes.
Step 4Your contractor carries a 24-month maintenance period on the crossing; any defects found at inspection are put right at their cost.

The rules

What Milton Keynes City Council looks for

Nothing can be done on the footway or verge before permission — working on the highway without it is an offence under the Highways Act 1980.
The council looks at visibility, the verge, street lights, trees and services on its site visit.
The fee is non-refundable, so it is worth checking the basics with us before you apply.

Bletchley specifically

Ground, drainage and conservation in Bletchley

Most Bletchley homes we see have post-war front gardens, which usually leaves room for a hardstanding of at least 5.0m by 2.5m that Milton Keynes City Council asks for. We measure it at the visit, before you pay any council fee.

Bletchley is Oxford Clay country — the clay that fed the local brickworks until 1990. It drains slowly and moves with the seasons, so soakaways rarely work well and anything built near trees needs deeper foundations.

The Bletchley Conservation Area covers Bletchley Park, Old Bletchley and St Mary’s Church around Church Green. Its review favours keeping historic brick and stone walls with their copings and discourages close-boarded fencing and metal railings on boundaries.

The River Ouzel runs along the east side. Milton Keynes City Council’s 2024 flood risk assessment records river flooding affecting properties in Bletchley and Water Eaton, and Bletchley is a designated surface-water flood risk area. You can check any address on the Environment Agency flood map.

Sources: Bletchley Conservation Area review.

Where we come in

What we do

We can build the crossing ourselves here: we hold the NRSWA street works qualification the council asks for. We give you what you need for the application, take out the Private Opening Licence, and build the crossing and the drive behind it as one job.

A measured drawing of the access and front garden
Advice on width, visibility and space before you pay any fee
The driveway or hardstanding behind the crossing
Levels tied into the crossing, not left as a step
Drainage so water stays off the footway
A five year guarantee on our work, in writing

Questions

Dropped kerbs in Bletchley: questions

How much does a dropped kerb cost in Bletchley?

The council’s own fees in Bletchley are £237 residential application, plus £537 for the contractor’s Private Opening Licence. The works themselves depend on the length, the kerbs and any services or street furniture in the way, and we price them in your fixed proposal alongside the driveway.

Who can build a dropped kerb in Bletchley?

Your own contractor with an NRSWA street works qualification and public liability insurance. We can build the crossing ourselves here: we hold the NRSWA street works qualification the council asks for. We give you what you need for the application, take out the Private Opening Licence, and build the crossing and the drive behind it as one job.

How long does a dropped kerb take in Bletchley?

Licence valid for 6 months; 24-month maintenance period after. The crossing itself is usually a day or two on site; the approval is the long part, so start it early.

Do I need planning permission for a dropped kerb in Bletchley?

If your house is on an A, B or C road, yes — planning permission comes before the highway application.

What rules does my driveway have to meet in Bletchley?

Nothing can be done on the footway or verge before permission — working on the highway without it is an offence under the Highways Act 1980. The council looks at visibility, the verge, street lights, trees and services on its site visit. The fee is non-refundable, so it is worth checking the basics with us before you apply.

Do you cover Bletchley?

Yes. We work across Bletchley (MK1 to MK3) and nearby areas including Fenny Stratford, West Bletchley, Water Eaton, Newton Longville, Simpson, Denbigh. The visit is free.

Also in Bletchley

The driveway behind it

Planning a dropped kerb in Bletchley?

We will look at the frontage, check it against Milton Keynes City Council’s rules before you pay any fee, and price the driveway and crossing in one written proposal.

Book your free visit Call 01908 104408