Please read the guidance notes on this page before you fill in the application form.
Application process
When you apply for a crossover, we will will inspect the site and make the necessary measurements. We have a responsibility under the 1980 Highways Act to maintain the safe and free flow of traffic on the highway and in certain circumstances a crossover will not be permitted.
An enquiry is sent to all the utility companies (gas, telephone, water, electricity, etc.) responsible for the pipes and cables in the footway where the crossover is to be built to find out whether any alterations will be necessary. It takes the utility companies an average of six weeks to reply with an estimate of the cost of any alterations.
An estimate will be sent to you showing the charges for the crossover and any necessary alterations by the utilities.
This estimate will include an allowance for possible difficulties and a non-refundable application fee of £550 to cover the cost to us of processing your application and supervising and paying for the necessary construction works. This administration fee is to be paid whether or not your application is successful.
The estimate sent to you is based on a Schedule of Rates achieved from competitive tendering by approved contractors in this area. The works have to meet a detailed technical specification which applies to all public highways in the borough and the costs which will be recharged to you are those actually paid by the council in settling its account with the contractor.
Once we have received the deposit payment for the full amount from you, the works will be programmed with our annual contractor. These works would normally be completed within six weeks of receipt and clearance of the deposit payment, although further delays are likely where alterations to utility pipes or cables are required as these companies have to programme such works.
Requirements for a crossover
We have the following requirements:
- the area on which the vehicle is to be parked must be of a minimum size of 4.8 metres (16ft) in length by 2.4 metres (8ft) in width
- the vehicular access to this area must not involve any manoeuvres causing danger to the public
- garden gates must not open on to the public footway
For drainage and safety reasons, crossovers are built with a crossfall towards the road which has a gradient within limits of 1-in-30 and 1-in-40. This is done to minimise any difference in level between the private land and crossover at the boundary. It is the responsibility of the occupier to make any additional alterations to the level of their private land to match the crossover area.
Planning permission
You will require planning permission for the crossover if building it involves:
- creating an access on to a classified (main) road
- demolishing a boundary wall more than one metre high in a Conservation Area
- if the property is not a single family dwelling house (such as flats or other uses)
If you need planning permission, please write to: Planning Development Department, 5th Floor, Hammersmith Town Hall Extension, King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9JU, or phone 020 8753 1081 for an application form. If you have already applied for planning permission or have been granted one for your development, please quote the appropriate reference number.
If you do not require planning permission and you meet the requirements above, please download a copy of the application form above and complete both parts B1 and B2. Make sure you read the instructions on the form before completing it. When we receive your completed form we will take the necessary action to send you an estimate of the cost.
Crossover layout
Here's a diagram of a typical crossover layout (pdf 44KB). You may wish to save this for future reference.