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

Dropped kerbs in Milton Keynes

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

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In Milton Keynes, 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 Milton Keynes

Getting a dropped kerb approved in Milton Keynes

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.

Milton Keynes specifically

Ground, drainage and conservation in Milton Keynes

Most Milton Keynes homes we see have open-plan estate frontages, 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.

The British Geological Survey maps most of the city on Kellaways beds and Oxford Clay under boulder clay. It drains slowly and shrinks and swells with the seasons — which is why the city was planned around balancing lakes such as Willen and Caldecotte.

The conservation areas here are the old village cores the city grew around — Bradwell, Great Linford, Milton Keynes Village, Shenley Church End and Willen among them. Outside those, normal householder permitted development applies unless your estate’s original planning permission removed it.

Land beyond your boundary is often council or Parks Trust land — the trust looks after around 6,000 acres, including most grid-road margins. Widening a drive over a verge or redway needs Milton Keynes City Council’s consent, and the council prohibits placing rocks or blocks on verges.

The Great Ouse and Ouzel corridors are kept as parkland flood plain, so most estates sit well away from river flood zones; on clay, surface water is usually the bigger issue. You can check any address on the Environment Agency flood map.

Sources: Milton Keynes conservation areas.

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 Milton Keynes: questions

How much does a dropped kerb cost in Milton Keynes?

The council’s own fees in Milton Keynes 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 Milton Keynes?

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 Milton Keynes?

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 Milton Keynes?

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 Milton Keynes?

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 Milton Keynes?

Yes. We work across Milton Keynes (MK1 to MK15) and nearby areas including Broughton, Brooklands, Shenley Brook End, Furzton, Oakgrove, Westcroft. The visit is free.

Also in Milton Keynes

The driveway behind it

Planning a dropped kerb in Milton Keynes?

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