Driveway regulations on a new build property

dhokes · 17 Apr 2018 at 19:30

I've purchased a new build and its still being built and I'm waiting for completion.

I was told there would be a driveway for 2 cars and that's what the site plans show. Plot 1 in this image. I was wondering what the regulations are for driveways, if any, in terms of size?

I visited the site today and it appears as though there might be a squeeze to get out of the car when parked in the driveway as the driveway would be between the side of the house (a brick wall) and an adjacent wall/fence.

It would be silly to have a driveway in which I couldn't get out of the car, as well as move a wheelie bin around whilst a car is parked!

What are my options? Is there anything I can do about this?

the_r_sole · 17 Apr 2018 at 20:09

The driveway doesn't show any cars unless I'm missing something?
You'll likely find that the two cars are maybe smart cars! A parking space should be 2.5m X 5m usually (although had a council recently who allowed 2.4x4.8 which I believe are from guidance from the 80s) - developers will do the bare minimum, if you park 2 cars that's their obligation over, doesn't matter how easy it is to get in and out of the car, or whether you can get a wheelie bin past

Slam62 · 17 Apr 2018 at 20:13

Of course you'll be able to get out of the car, and there's room for two cars, jmo

dhokes · 17 Apr 2018 at 20:13

the_r_sole said:
The driveway doesn't show any cars unless I'm missing something?
You'll likely find that the two cars are maybe smart cars! A parking space should be 2.5m X 5m usually (although had a council recently who allowed 2.4x4.8 which I believe are from guidance from the 80s) - developers will do the bare minimum, if you park 2 cars that's their obligation over, doesn't matter how easy it is to get in and out of the car, or whether you can get a wheelie bin past

Sorry, I should have been clearer. Where it says 'plot 1' is the garden, and the house and driveway are directly below the garden. Worse case, I guess I could park diagonally across the small patch of grass where the circle AB is...

the_r_sole · 17 Apr 2018 at 20:35

dhokes said:
Sorry, I should have been clearer. Where it says 'plot 1' is the garden, and the house and driveway are directly below the garden. Worse case, I guess I could park diagonally across the small patch of grass where the circle AB is...

It's perfectly clear, it's just impossible to tell what the exact size of the space is with no scale or dimensions on the drawing, but given your plot isn't big enough to accommodate a single garage, it's not going to be a lot wider than the bare minimum a developer can get away with... Although it does look like theres a fairly wide pavement there...

dhokes · 17 Apr 2018 at 21:11

the_r_sole said:
It's perfectly clear, it's just impossible to tell what the exact size of the space is with no scale or dimensions on the drawing, but given your plot isn't big enough to accommodate a single garage, it's not going to be a lot wider than the bare minimum a developer can get away with... Although it does look like theres a fairly wide pavement there...

Yeah, the drawing doesn't really look to scale. It looks narrower in person. I'll try to get a photo next time I visit.

the_r_sole · 17 Apr 2018 at 21:22

Get a tape measure out! (Or get a shot of a laser measure if you want to do it quickly!)