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Dropped kerb on a limestone cottage, typical of Olney

Dropped kerbs in Olney

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

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In Olney, 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 Olney

Getting a dropped kerb approved in Olney

  1. Step 1You apply to Milton Keynes City Council and pay the £237 residential fee. The council visits and assesses the site.
  2. Step 2Once approved, your contractor applies for a Private Opening Licence (£537), which covers up to five inspections and the completion certificate.
  3. Step 3The crossing is built to the council’s specification within six months of the licence and inspected as it goes.
  4. 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.
Olney specifically

Ground, drainage and conservation in Olney

Most Olney homes we see have cottage frontages and estate drives, 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.

Olney sits on Great Oolite limestone, which generally drains better than Milton Keynes clay — but clay bands and the Ouse flood plain change that locally, so we do a percolation test before designing a soakaway.

Olney’s conservation area has an Article 4 direction for houses that removes permitted development for extensions, alterations, porches and painting outside walls. Front hard surfaces, outbuildings and boundary walls are not covered, so a permeable drive is still permitted development.

The Great Ouse valley runs along the south of the town, and Milton Keynes City Council’s flood risk assessment notes a cluster of sewer flooding records in Olney. You can check any address on the Environment Agency flood map.

Sources: Milton Keynes Article 4 directions (Olney) · Olney Conservation Area map.

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 Olney: questions

How much does a dropped kerb cost in Olney?
The council’s own fees in Olney 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 Olney?
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 Olney?
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 Olney?
If your house is on an A, B or C road, yes — planning permission comes before the highway application. Parts of Olney are in a conservation area, where changes to front boundaries need more care.
What rules does my driveway have to meet in Olney?
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 Olney?
Yes. We work across Olney (MK46) and nearby areas including Weston Underwood, Clifton Reynes, Lavendon, Warrington, Emberton, Yardley Hastings. The visit is free.
Also in Olney

The driveway behind it

Planning a dropped kerb in Olney?

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.

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