Dropped kerbs with a new drive in Christchurch: the local picture
Homes in Christchurch include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.
Sloping plots are common in the South West, which affects edging, steps and where the water runs.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Christchurch?
In the South West, a dropped kerb usually costs £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. Your exact price depends on what the survey or your photos show, and is fixed in writing before anything is booked.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,000–£3,000 |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£50 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £350–£1,000 |
| Soakaway | £900–£2,000 |
| Highway authority dropped kerb application fee | £55–£500 |
Guide figures for the South West, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What does a dropped kerb involve?
We do not take money for kerb work we cannot legally do. What we do is check whether your property is likely to qualify, help you with the application, coordinate the timing with your new drive, and either price the crossover where the authority allows private contractors or work alongside the authority's own contractor where it does not.
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
- Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
- Help with the highway authority application and drawings
- Drive levels set to meet the new kerb line
Before we price your dropped kerb
- Buried services near the crossing or channel
- Load ratings needed for covers and gratings
- Ground conditions for any soakaway
- Where water collects now and where it can go
- Access and working space
Do you need permission in Christchurch?
Christchurch is in England, so these rules apply:
In England, paving in front of the house that covers more than 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn, border or soakaway inside your boundary. Permeable block paving, or standard blocks laid to fall onto a planted strip, avoid the need for permission in most cases.
Flats and maisonettes, listed buildings, and homes covered by an Article 4 direction can have tighter rules, and conservation areas, National Parks and National Landscapes restrict some permitted development.
A dropped kerb needs your local highway authority's approval (usually the county, unitary, metropolitan or London borough council), and a new access onto an A, B or C classified road also needs planning permission.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.
What happens next
Send the basics
Postcode, what you need and a rough size. Photos help.
Survey
We measure, check levels, ground and drainage, and talk through blocks and patterns.
Written quote
An itemised quote with the specification, the price and the start date.
The work
Our paving team builds it to the agreed specification and leaves the site swept.
How we work
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Dropped kerbs in Christchurch: questions
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Christchurch?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Do you work in Bournemouth, Ferndown and Poole?
Yes. We cover Christchurch and the places around it, including Bournemouth, Ferndown and Poole, and the rest of Dorset.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Christchurch?
Guide price: £1,000–£3,000 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Who approves a dropped kerb in Christchurch?
For a dropped kerb, your local highway authority (usually your council). For drainage and covers on private land, no approval is usually needed, but connections to public sewers need the water company's consent.
Dropped kerbs near Christchurch
Nearby towns we cover for dropped kerbs, and dropped kerbs across Dorset:
- Dropped kerbs in Bournemouth
- Dropped kerbs in Ferndown
- Dropped kerbs in Poole
- Dropped kerbs in New Milton
