Dropped Kerbs, Vehicle Crossovers & Driveways in Kent
Fed up with hunting for a parking space? We’ll build your dropped kerb and the driveway behind it, all with one local team.
MB Infrastructure is a Kent utilities and civil infrastructure contractor. Our base is near Sittingbourne and we have yards in Maidstone and Thurrock. Most of our work is on and under the public highway: footways, kerbing, reinstatement and utility trenches. So the pavement side of a dropped kerb is everyday work for us.
We work with homeowners and small developers across Kent and the South East. We can help with the council side, build the crossover to Kent County Council’s specification, and finish the job with a new driveway.
Get a free quote Call 01622 278 708 or 07714 778 181
Why choose MB
- Kent Trading Standards Checked: trader number K1030, listed under “Drop Kerbs – Street Works Qualifications Registration needed”
- Street Works registered: registration no. 10054541
- NRSWA-qualified operative on site for every dropped kerb, as KCC requires
- SafeContractor accredited (SN9931)
- ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 certified (certificate 495082025)
- Constructionline Gold
- Fully insured, with £10 million public liability cover
- Licensed waste carrier (Upper Tier, CBDU554919)
Recent job: dropped kerb in Gravesend
A new dropped kerb and tarmac crossover we built for a homeowner in Gravesend, Kent.
Before
During: new kerbs laid and sub-base compacted
After: finished dropped kerb and tarmac crossover
Recent job: new driveway in Bexleyheath
A complete new driveway we built in Bexleyheath: breaking out the old front garden, laying a proper sub-base, then finishing in tarmac with a block-paved crossover.
Breaking out the old front garden
Sub-base going in
Finished: tarmac drive with a block-paved crossover
Recent job: driveway, retaining wall and steps in Rochester
A new tarmac driveway with block-paved edging, plus a brick retaining wall and a new set of steps, built for a homeowner in Rochester, Kent.
Tarmac driveway with block-paved edging
Parking area with a block-paved border
Brick retaining wall
New steps up to the drive
What we do
Dropped kerbs and vehicle crossovers
A dropped kerb (also called a vehicle crossover) is where the kerb is lowered and the pavement is strengthened, so you can drive onto your property without damaging the path. We dig out, lay new kerbs and build up the footway to the specification on your KCC approval notice. Then we reinstate the pavement neatly. We can also extend an existing dropped kerb.
Driveways and hardstanding
We can break out an old front garden or worn drive, then build a proper base and a new parking area that’s big enough for your car. That matters, because KCC won’t approve a dropped kerb unless you have enough room to park without overhanging the pavement.
Surfacing
- Tarmac (tarmacadam)
- Resin surfacing, including resin-bound
- Block paving
- Permeable paving, concrete, gravel/shingle and imprinted concrete
Drainage and soakaways
KCC requires your parking area to be built so that rainwater doesn’t run off it across the pavement and road. It has to drain within your own boundary. We can plan this in from the start with soakaways, drainage channels or a permeable surface. That also keeps you on the right side of the planning rules for front gardens (see the FAQ).
Reinstatement
Whether we’re working on the pavement or your drive, we leave things tidy and finished to the right standard. On the highway, KCC inspects every dropped kerb against its specification.
Ducting for an EV charger
Thinking about an electric car? While the drive is dug up, we can lay a duct for a future EV charger cable from the house to where you’ll park. Then nothing needs digging up again later. We can also install the charger itself, so the whole job is done by one team.
How a dropped kerb works in Kent
In the Kent County Council area, you need KCC’s permission before a dropped kerb is installed or extended. This is how it works, and where we can help.
- Check you have enough space. KCC sets minimum sizes for the parking area. For example, if you park at right angles to the road you need at least 2.4 m wide by 4.8 m deep. KCC also looks at how close you are to a junction, visibility, nearby street lights and trees, drainage and any covers or street furniture. We can come and look at your frontage before you pay anything to the council.
- Check planning. Your district or borough council decides whether you need planning permission. KCC asks for a copy of the permission, or written confirmation that you don’t need it.
- Apply to KCC. You apply online, with a photo of the front of the property, a sketch of where the dropped kerb will go and the application fee. We can help you with your KCC application, including the sketch and the measurements. KCC allows a company to apply on your behalf with your written permission, so we can submit the application for you.
- Get your decision. KCC aims to inspect and give a decision within 28 days of receiving your application and payment. If you’re approved, you have 2 years to get the work done.
- Choose your contractor. Once you have permission, KCC says you can use any contractor, as long as they have NRSWA (New Roads and Street Works Act) accreditation for excavation and reinstatement held by an operative on site, and £5 million public liability insurance. KCC points homeowners to the Trading Standards Checked website, where we’re listed (K1030). Show us your approval notice and we’ll quote for exactly what KCC has asked for.
- We do the rest. As your contractor, we apply for the permit to work on the highway, check the utility records, and build the crossover to KCC’s specification. KCC then inspects the work, and there’s a 2-year maintenance period on it.
KCC fees (from kent.gov.uk, October 2026): the application costs £500. Extra inspections, for example near a tree or street light, cost £76 each and are non-refundable. If your application is declined, you get £231 back. Fees can change, so always check kent.gov.uk.
Small developers and new homes
Building a few new homes or converting a property? KCC has a separate dropped kerb route for developers, with its own form and fees based on the number of properties. Some schemes also need a Section 278 agreement for highway works. We can price the access and crossover alongside your driveways, utility trenches and reinstatement, so you deal with one contractor. Send us your site plan and we’ll take a look.
Areas we cover
- Kent: from our base near Sittingbourne and our Maidstone yard, we cover the Kent County Council area, including Maidstone, Swale, Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells, Ashford, Canterbury and beyond.
- Essex and Thurrock: from our Thurrock yard. In Thurrock, the council now builds vehicle crossings itself, but you can still choose your own contractor for the driveway. That’s where we come in. We also build dropped kerbs in the Essex County Council area.
- Medway, Surrey and London: we work across Surrey, the London boroughs and the wider South East. Each council has its own rules on who may build a dropped kerb. Some use only their own contractor or an approved list. Tell us your postcode and we’ll tell you straight away what applies on your street. We can always quote for the driveway.
Dropped kerb FAQs
Do I need permission for a dropped kerb?
Yes. In the Kent County Council area, you need KCC’s permission before a dropped kerb is installed or extended, or before you start using a new access point. You may also need planning permission from your district or borough council, and KCC will ask for proof either way. If you don’t own the property, you’ll need the owner’s written permission.
How long does it take?
KCC aims to inspect and give a decision within 28 days of receiving your application and payment. Your approval then lasts 2 years. Once you’re approved, we’ll give you a start date in your quote. A dropped kerb usually takes about 1 day on site, and a driveway around 5 days, depending on its size. We also need to book a highway permit before we start, so give us a call as soon as your approval notice arrives.
Who applies to the council?
You do, as the homeowner (or someone acting with your written permission), by applying to KCC for permission. Once you’re approved, your contractor applies for the permit to work on the highway. We can help you get your KCC application right first time.
Do you do the driveway too?
Yes. We can build the driveway or hardstanding behind the kerb, in tarmac, resin, block paving, permeable paving, concrete, gravel or imprinted concrete, with drainage included. KCC requires water to drain within your own property rather than onto the road. Under national planning rules, if you’re surfacing more than 5 m² of a front garden, it needs to be permeable (or drain to a permeable area), or you’ll need planning permission. We’ll make sure your new drive is designed with this in mind.
Can I use any contractor in Kent?
In the KCC area, yes, as long as they have NRSWA accreditation for excavation and reinstatement (held by an operative on site) and £5 million public liability insurance.
Get a free quote
Tell us your address or postcode, what you’d like done, and whether you already have KCC approval. Photos of the front of your property are a big help.
Phone: 01622 278 708
Mobile / WhatsApp: 07714 778 181
Email: enquiries@mbinfrastructure.co.uk
No obligation. We aim to respond to all enquiries within 24 hours.