Dropped Kerbs Under Cheshire East Council: Fees, Specification & the Section 171 Licence
Cheshire East publishes an unusually detailed construction specification for vehicle crossings but no decision timescale, and two different application fees in two different documents. This page sets out exactly what the council has published, what it has not, and how we handle the gaps.
Information correct as of August 2026
The fee: two published figures
There are currently two live figures on Cheshire East Council's own material:
- The council's narrative dropped kerb page (last reviewed 23 July 2025) states £170.
- The council's Highways Fees and Charges 2026/2027 schedule — a separate PDF, reviewed 07 April 2026 — lists £176 for "consideration of vehicle crossing/dropped kerb applications".
We treat £176 as the current 2026/27 figure, because it comes from the more recently reviewed source. But we say plainly that the two published figures differ, and we confirm the exact current fee with the council when handling your application rather than assuming.
Related fees from the same 2026/27 schedule
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Consideration of vehicle crossing / dropped kerb application (2026/27) | £176 |
| Rejected or cancelled unprocessed application | £114 |
| Retrospective licence for an unauthorised crossing already built (excluding remedial works) | £602 |
That last figure is worth dwelling on. A crossing built without permission does not simply get overlooked: regularising it costs £602 before any remedial work needed to bring the construction up to specification. Doing it properly first time is materially cheaper.
Fees correct as of August 2026 — council fees are reviewed periodically and ArcLine will confirm the current figure for your property as part of your quote.
Timescale: not published
Cheshire East Council does not publish a decision timescale for vehicle crossing applications. We are not going to invent one, or borrow a neighbouring authority's figure and present it as Cheshire East's.
What we do instead is give you a realistic estimate based on the council's actual turnaround at the time your application goes in, and keep you updated while it is with them. For a general sense of end-to-end timescales on dropped kerb work, see our Section 184 process guide.
The construction specification — this part is published in detail
Cheshire East's Vehicular Crossing Application Specification is more prescriptive than most authorities' published material. It sets out:
- Crossfall no steeper than 1 in 12, with 1 in 16 as the target.
- 200mm of compacted Type 1 sub-base, or equivalent crusher run.
- New kerbs hydraulically pressed to BS340.
- Radius kerbs required on bends under 12m radius.
- 60mm dense bituminous binder course, plus a 20mm surface course.
- Manhole and inspection covers to BS497 / EN124 — Grade B for domestic use, Grade A for commercial.
For homeowners this level of detail is genuinely useful: it means a compliant crossing can be specified accurately at quotation stage, with no argument later about buildup or materials. For a wider explanation of crossing construction, including commercial loadings, see our vehicle crossing page.
What Cheshire East does not publish
The council does not publish a minimum driveway or garden depth, or a standard crossing width. We will not substitute Staffordshire County Council's figures here — they are a different authority's criteria and quoting them as Cheshire East's would be misleading. The crossing is sized to your frontage and assessed by the council on its merits.
The council also does not publish an itemised list of refusal distances or criteria. Applications are returned as one of three outcomes: approved, approved with modifications, or rejected. In practice "approved with modifications" is a common and workable outcome.
When planning permission is needed as well
- Frontages on classified A, B or C roads.
- Listed buildings, and properties in conservation areas.
- Where surface water would drain onto the highway.
- Properties that are not a single dwelling — flats and commercial premises.
Contractor requirements and the Section 171 licence
Before work starts, the contractor must submit qualifications and insurance to the council, hold £5m liability cover including a principals clause, and comply with the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991. Separately, a Section 171 licence is required before any excavation or road-space booking in Cheshire East. We handle the Section 171 licence as part of the service, alongside the crossing application itself.
ArcLine Group's accreditations
- NRSWA approved under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991.
- SWQR registered operatives and supervisors (Streetworks Qualifications Register).
- Comprehensive Public Liability Insurance held for all highway works.
- Verified Checkatrade member — our Checkatrade profile shows a 9.98/10 rating from 17 verified reviews.
Council source: cheshireeast.gov.uk — dropped kerb.
Which towns Cheshire East covers
Principal Cheshire East towns include Crewe, Nantwich, Macclesfield, Congleton, Sandbach, Knutsford, Wilmslow, Alsager, Middlewich and Poynton. Holmes Chapel also sits within the Cheshire East borough boundary.
None of these fall under Cheshire West and Chester, which is a separate authority covering Chester, Ellesmere Port, Northwich and Winsford — so a Cheshire address alone does not tell you which council decides your application.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Cheshire East Council charge for a dropped kerb application?
Cheshire East publishes two different figures. The council's narrative dropped kerb page, last reviewed 23 July 2025, states £170. The council's Highways Fees and Charges 2026/2027 schedule, reviewed 07 April 2026, lists £176 for consideration of vehicle crossing / dropped kerb applications. We treat £176 as the current 2026/27 figure because it comes from the more recently reviewed source, but the two published figures do differ and we confirm the exact fee with the council when we handle the application.
How long does a Cheshire East dropped kerb application take?
Cheshire East Council does not publish a decision timescale for vehicle crossing applications. Rather than quote a figure the council has not stated, we give you a realistic estimate based on the council's current turnaround at the point your application is submitted.
Is there a minimum driveway depth or crossing width in Cheshire East?
Cheshire East Council does not publish a minimum driveway or garden depth, or a standard crossing width, for vehicle crossings. We will not borrow another authority's figures here — the design is assessed by the council on its merits, and we size the crossing to your frontage and to the council's construction specification.
What happens if a crossing was built in Cheshire East without permission?
The council's 2026/27 fees schedule lists a retrospective licence for an unauthorised crossing already built at £602, excluding any remedial works needed to bring it up to specification. A rejected or cancelled unprocessed application costs £114. Between them those figures make unpermitted work a poor economy.
Do I need planning permission as well in Cheshire East?
In addition to the vehicle crossing application, planning permission is required where the frontage is on a classified A, B or C road, where the property is a listed building or in a conservation area, where surface water would drain onto the highway, and where the property is not a single dwelling — for example flats or commercial premises.
Does ArcLine handle the Section 171 licence?
Yes. In Cheshire East a separate Section 171 licence is required before any excavation or road-space booking, and the contractor must submit qualifications and insurance before work starts, including £5m liability cover with a principals clause and compliance with NRSWA 1991. We handle the Section 171 licence as part of the service.