Can I have 2 driveways?

Qwerty Dub · 15-10-2014 1:49pm #1

I am thinking of buying a house with a large front garden. At the moment its all open with an ESB pole smack bang in the middle. So I was considering building a wall across the middle where the pole is and leaving an entry point on either side for each of our cars.

But someone told me the other day that you can't have two drive ins. You can have a wide opening for a car(s) and then a narrower one for pedestrian gate.

Anyone know if this is true and can you apply to have two drive ins? Cost etc?

Cheers.

Michael D Not Higgins · 15-10-2014 2:13pm

You'll definitely need planning permission but I don't think it's specifically not allowed.

endacl · 15-10-2014 2:16pm

You need planning permission to not build a wall?

Place has gone mad, Ted....

Michael D Not Higgins · 15-10-2014 2:19pm

Found an example
http://goo.gl/maps/3kMFf

D3PO · 15-10-2014 2:21pm

Ive seen houses with two entrances to a driveway, so I cant see how two driveways wouldnt be allowed although PP would be needed most likely.

Michael D Not Higgins · 15-10-2014 2:22pm

endacl wrote: »

You need planning permission to not build a wall?

Place has gone mad, Ted....

"Permission is always required to if you wish to widen or create new access to the public road."

I think this might count but I could be wrong. I'm imagining the side of the garden he wants the second driveway is not dished at the pavement edge so would need planning permission.

runawaybishop · 15-10-2014 2:24pm

endacl wrote: »

You need planning permission to not build a wall?

Place has gone mad, Ted....

You need planning usually to create a new access point onto a road, they have to ensure that proper sight lines are there. Typically your access onto a road etc is set down pretty clearly in planning.

seamus · 15-10-2014 2:40pm

Here's an example of a house with two vehicular entrances to the property (and a third pedestrian entrance).

https://www.google.ie/maps/place/Knocklyon+Rd,+Dublin,+Co.+Dublin/@53.2835415,-6.3132633,3a,75y,317.8h,69.7t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sqKE6bfsIzV9nB8NrFs0Jbw!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x48670b0cc11d7999:0x3add8a79181c719e

I suspect that this access probably already existed before the house was built (i.e. it was how you accessed that land before the houses were built), but it shows how you can have two entrances to the property.

Edit: Checked the old OSI maps, and this looks like it was the original front entrance to the main house on the lands on which this estate (and the ones north of it) are now built. The access right would have existed and the builder simply kept and it and accommodated it into the plans for this specific house on the estate.

endacl · 15-10-2014 2:41pm

Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »

"Permission is always required to if you wish to widen or create new access to the public road."

I think this might count but I could be wrong. I'm imagining the side of the garden he wants the second driveway is not dished at the pavement edge so would need planning permission.

runawaybishop wrote: »

You need planning usually to create a new access point onto a road, they have to ensure that proper sight lines are there. Typically your access onto a road etc is set down pretty clearly in planning.

I get that, but as I read it there is no wall. By building a short wall (the 'not building a wall' bit) he's reducing access, or at least limiting it to either end of the all. He's not creating new access. He's limiting the existing access.

runawaybishop · 15-10-2014 2:44pm

endacl wrote: »

I get that, but as I read it there is no wall. By building a short wall (the 'not building a wall' bit) he's reducing access, or at least limiting it to either end of the all. He's not creating new access. He's limiting the existing access.

That's not how it works though, there will have been a specific access point dictated by the plans. Even without a wall technically you should only use the determined and agreed to access point. By adding in a second driveway you are pretty clearly stating you intend on using a second access point that is not on the plans and has not been vetted or agreed to.

daviecronin · 15-10-2014 2:45pm

I've two driveways

endacl · 15-10-2014 2:45pm

runawaybishop wrote: »

That's not how it works though, there will have been a specific access point dictated by the plans. Even without a wall technically you should only use the determined and agreed to access point. By adding in a second driveway you are pretty clearly stating you intend on using a second access point that is not on the plans and has not been vetted or agreed to.

Makes sense...

notharrypotter · 15-10-2014 5:07pm

We widened our driveway to accommodate 2 cars.
But we consulted the planning office at the time.
Put in writing what we wanted.
They referred us to the roads section.
Roads sent out a guy. He took some measurements and we got a letter later saying our proposal was acceptable.

We were lowering the footpath to match.
We had to get the public liability cert and safety statement from the builder who was doing the works.

_Kaiser_ · 16-10-2014 8:15am

Can ye not request the ESB to move the pole?

Michael D Not Higgins · 16-10-2014 8:25am

_Kaiser_ wrote: »

Can ye not request the ESB to move the pole?

Costs a fortune or so I'm told. Saw a thread on boards once where they wanted over 10 grand to move the pole!

runawaybishop · 16-10-2014 10:00am

Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »

Costs a fortune or so I'm told. Saw a thread on boards once where they wanted over 10 grand to move the pole!

If the pole is blocking the building of the wall that's on the plans then it'll be moved for free, you might need to get on to them a bit to get them to actually do it though.

http://www.esb.ie/esbnetworks/en/construction-industry/move_existing_poles_lines.jsp

Michael D Not Higgins · 16-10-2014 10:05am

runawaybishop wrote: »

If the pole is blocking the building of the wall that's on the plans then it'll be moved for free, you might need to get on to them a bit to get them to actually do it though.

http://www.esb.ie/esbnetworks/en/construction-industry/move_existing_poles_lines.jsp

That's not how I read it. It seems the pole would prevent a wide driveway to fit two cars, not prevent the wall being built.

runawaybishop · 16-10-2014 10:07am

Michael D Not Higgins wrote: »

That's not how I read it. It seems the pole would prevent a wide driveway to fit two cars, not prevent the wall being built.

If you get planning and the pole is in the way, it'll get moved either way.

cookie24 · 16-10-2014 10:23am

daviecronin wrote: »

I've two driveways

I've three

Qwerty Dub · 17-10-2014 7:03am

The pole doesn't prevent a wall being built. Looking at Google Maps there used to be a big hedge there are the pole was in front of the hedge on the path. Now that the hedge is gone and the garden is completely open the pole is a lot more prominent, but just outside the garden.

It's fairly wide at the front of the house so I would imagine it would probably be easiest to just build a wall and leave a wider opening on one side of the pole to allow the two cars in.

Can I have 2 driveways?

Comments