Planning a dropped kerb in Brighton
Brighton has a big mix of housing, from older terraces near the centre to newer estates further out, so no two drives here start from the same ground.
Chalk, clay and sandy ground all occur across the South East, so the dig and sub-base depth are set on the survey rather than assumed.
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Brighton?
Guide price in Brighton: £1,100–£3,250 including VAT. These are South East guide figures; the survey or your photos confirm the real price before you commit.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,100–£3,250 |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£55 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £380–£1,100 |
| Soakaway | £970–£2,150 |
| Highway authority dropped kerb application fee | £60–£540 |
Guide figures for the South East, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What is included?
A dropped kerb, also called a vehicle crossover, is a section of lowered kerb with a strengthened footway behind it so a car can cross the pavement to reach a drive. It is part of the public highway, so it needs the highway authority's permission and has to be built to their specification, usually by a contractor they approve.
- Help with the highway authority application and drawings
- Eligibility check: visibility, trees, street furniture, frontage depth
- Crossover construction where the authority permits our contractor
- Drive levels set to meet the new kerb line
- Coordination so the drive and crossover are finished together
Before we price your dropped kerb
- Buried services near the crossing or channel
- Ground conditions for any soakaway
- Levels of the pavement, kerb and drive
- How the new work ties into the paving
- Who must approve the work and how long that takes
Rules for front drives in Brighton
Brighton 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.
How it works
Quick details
Your postcode and the job. It takes a minute.
On-site check
Measurements, levels against the damp-proof course, ground and drainage.
Itemised quote
Fixed once the specification is agreed, with no vague extras.
Laid and finished
Compacted, jointed and handed back clean.
What you can expect from us
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
One point of contact
You deal with one team from survey to sign-off, with work carried out by paving teams working under S&K.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Dropped kerbs in Brighton: questions
How much does a dropped kerb cost in Brighton?
Guide price: £1,100–£3,250 including VAT. The survey confirms the work needed.
Do you work in Hove, Portslade and Rottingdean?
Yes. We cover Brighton and the places around it, including Hove, Portslade and Rottingdean, and the rest of East Sussex.
Who approves a dropped kerb in Brighton?
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.
Can this be done at the same time as a new drive in Brighton?
Yes, and it usually should be, so the levels match and the paving is only disturbed once.
Dropped kerbs near Brighton
Nearby towns we cover for dropped kerbs, and dropped kerbs across East Sussex:
- Dropped kerbs in Hove
- Dropped kerbs in Portslade
- Dropped kerbs in Rottingdean
- Dropped kerbs in Seaford
- Dropped kerbs in Hailsham
- Dropped kerbs in Eastbourne
