Driveway rules, in plain English
Planning permission, permeable surfaces and dropped kerbs for Worthing and nearby.
Last reviewed October 2026. Rules and fees can change, so check the official sources below before you start.
Drainage and the 5 square metre rule
Rainwater from your driveway must not run onto the pavement or road. Whatever surface you choose, the water has to be dealt with inside your boundary. West Sussex County Council, as the highway authority, can require you to stop water flowing onto the highway, and it will expect this to be sorted when you apply for a dropped kerb.
For planning, paving over a front garden in England does not need permission if the new surface is permeable (water soaks through it), or if rainwater is directed to a lawn, border or soakaway within your property. A non-permeable surface over 5 square metres that does neither needs planning permission, but that never makes it acceptable to drain onto the road.
On a non-permeable drive, such as standard block paving, tarmac or imprinted concrete, the usual answer is a linear channel drain across the full width of the drive, just inside your boundary. The drive falls gently towards it and the channel takes the water to a soakaway in your garden. A permeable drive that slopes towards the road may need a channel at the boundary too.
| Surface | Where the water goes |
|---|---|
| Resin bound on a permeable base | Soaks through |
| Gravel | Soaks through |
| Permeable block paving | Soaks through |
| Standard block paving | Linear channel at the boundary, to a soakaway |
| Tarmac | Linear channel at the boundary, to a soakaway |
| Imprinted concrete | Linear channel at the boundary, to a soakaway |
Dropped kerbs (vehicle crossovers)
If you will drive across a pavement or verge to reach your driveway, you need a dropped kerb. Across Worthing and the surrounding districts, these are approved by West Sussex County Council as the highway authority.
- Apply to West Sussex County Council before any work on the pavement
- There must be room to park fully within your boundary, without overhanging the footway
- Visibility, trees, lamp columns, street furniture and utility covers can affect approval
- The crossover must be built by a contractor the council approves, not just any driveway installer
- Planning permission can also be needed for a crossover onto a classified road
Check the current process and fees on the West Sussex County Council website before you apply, as they change from time to time.
Party walls and boundaries
Know where your boundary is before work starts, especially on shared or narrow drives, and talk to neighbours about levels and drainage that could affect them.
Official sources
- Planning Portal: paving your front garden
- GOV.UK: guidance on the permeable surfacing of front gardens
- West Sussex County Council: dropped kerbs for driveways
- Adur and Worthing Councils, Arun District Council and the South Downs National Park Authority for planning questions
Questions
Do I need planning permission for a new driveway?
Not usually. A new or replacement front driveway does not need planning permission if it is permeable, or if rainwater drains to a lawn, border or soakaway on your property. Whatever the surface, water must not run onto the pavement or road, so a non-permeable drive needs a linear channel drain at the boundary feeding a soakaway.
Who approves dropped kerbs in Worthing?
West Sussex County Council, as the highway authority, approves vehicle crossovers across the whole of Worthing, Adur and Arun.
Can I just drive over the kerb?
No. Driving across a footway without a dropped kerb is not allowed and can damage the pavement and services beneath it. You need an approved crossover.