George Wimpey - Driveways

[karen]

You would not believe all of the problems we have had with our property since we moved in. I think we had a bunch of cowboys working on it! One of our biggest concerns was the driveway.

Can you please let me know if there is a minimum width on driveways - ours measures 2.4m as they have built a retaining wall on one side. Someone from the NHBC did tell me they should be 3 metres if your drive forms part of your access route but when they looked into it apparantly George Wimpey hadn't done anything wrong as there are no minimum widths. We just cant park our 'normal family sized' laguna on it as we can hardly open the door to get out and as for getting anything past it like the wheely bin - forget it!

Thanks

Karen

[Tony]

Hi Karen,

In part M of the building regulations it states that there is a minimum width if the driveway also provides access to the front door. Is this the case with your house? This is basically to allow for wheelchair access, they don't seem concerned about opening car doors.

See:

http://www.odpm.gov.uk/stellent/grou...reg_025613.pdf

The NHBC standards have minimum widths for paths, but only state this about drives:

"Drives forming part of the approach to certain
entrances should comply with relevant Building
Regulations (see Appendix 9.2-A).

Drives should be designed to permit a motor car
reasonable access to and from a garage or car
parking area."

From NHBC Standards 2005, PROVISION OF ACCESS
9.2 - D2 Adequate access shall be provided to
and around the home

Lots of people have similar problems with garages being too narrow:

http://web.archive.org/web/200306231...visgroans.com/

Hope this helps

Tony

[karen]

Dear Tony,


Thank you for the information. Our driveway does provide access to the front door.

We have to walk up our driveway about 1.5 metres to a path which then leads to the front door. Also if we want access to the back garden via the gate on the driveway we would have to move our car. You can just about get past if you stand sideways and aren't too fat! but you couldn't get anything past like a bin or wheelbarrow. Personally, I don't think this is acceptable.


Karen

Sounds like it may contravene Part M. I would give the NHBC a ring.