Driveway crossovers and council permits in Frankston

What counts as the crossover

The crossover, sometimes called the vehicle crossing, is everything between your front boundary and the road: the section over the nature strip, the piece of footpath your car drives across, and the lowered kerb or laid-back kerb at the road edge. Because it sits in the road reserve, council controls its position, width, thickness and finish, even though the owner usually pays for it.

Which council you deal with

Frankston, Frankston South, Frankston North, Seaford, Karingal, Langwarrin, Carrum Downs, Skye and Sandhurst are in the City of Frankston. Mount Eliza is in Mornington Peninsula Shire. Patterson Lakes is in the City of Kingston. Each council has its own permit form, standard drawings and inspection process, so the right paperwork depends on your address.

When a permit is needed

A permit is needed for a brand new crossover, for widening or moving an existing one, and in most cases for replacing one. Work on the footpath or kerb without a permit can lead to council asking for it to be removed and rebuilt at the owner's cost.

Things council looks at

Expect council to check the distance from street trees, power poles, pits, hydrants and side streets, the maximum width allowed for your frontage, the slope across the footpath so pedestrians and wheelchairs are not disadvantaged, and the drainage at the kerb. On some streets the position of a second crossover is restricted.

Services in the nature strip

Nature strips carry water, sewer, gas, power, telecommunications and stormwater. Before any excavation, services are located and marked. Shallow services may need protecting or lowering by the asset owner, which can affect timing.

Construction standard

Crossovers are built to council's standard drawing, which sets the base, thickness, reinforcement and kerb profile. Many councils limit decorative finishes on the footpath section. That is why a driveway can be exposed aggregate inside the boundary while the crossover is plain broom concrete.

Inspections and handover

Some councils inspect the formwork and base before the pour and the finished crossover afterwards. Once approved, the nature strip is reinstated and the footpath made good.

Typical timeline

Allow time for the permit to be assessed before the crossover can be built. Lodging the application as soon as you accept a quote keeps the overall programme moving, and the driveway inside the boundary can often be prepared while the permit is processed. Inspections are booked to suit the pour date.

Our role

We confirm which council applies, prepare the application with the details council needs, book inspections, locate services and build to the approved drawing. You see the permit and inspection steps listed in your quote.