# Planning permission, driveway and "dishing"



## HouseHunter2016 (9 Mar 2017)

We are currently looking at houses and would prefer one with a driveway at the front.

One house I have seen looks like it might be promising, however one thing is niggling at me.
The front wall has been knocked to create a driveway but the kerb in front has not been dished. Neighbouring houses on the road have also created a driveway but they have the dishing done.

My query is, does the lack of a 'dishing' suggest that the driveway was likely built without obtaining planning permission?
If so, would it be a matter of either the current owner (or the new owner in time) applying to Dublin City Council for the kerb to be dished out.
Or would this simply flag to the council that the driveway was unauthorised?


----------



## Brendan Burgess (9 Mar 2017)

Knocking down a wall to create a driveway requires planning permission. 

The planning permission will require that the footpath by dished by the Council. 

Some people get planning permission , but then ignore the requirement of getting the Council to dish the footpath. 

So, first check online to see if they have planning permission. 

If so, check with the Council how much it would cost to dish the footpath. 

If they don't have planning permission, check other houses to see if they applied and got it.  If so,chances are you would get retention. 

Factor all that into the price you pay.

Brendan


----------



## JohnJay (9 Mar 2017)

Its something for the seller of the house to sort out before the sale goes through. Your surveyor and solicitor should flag this as something that will need to be sorted before you proceed. 

Further info on dishing here: http://www.dublincity.ie/main-menu-...nance-and-street-repair/modify-footpath-allow

Interestingly, South Dublin Co Co have a different way of handling dishings. You have to pay them a €220 fee for a "road opening licence" then get your own contractor (with 6.5m public liability insurance) to do the job. It can also be a condition of your planning permission that you also have to pay the council a  bond of €1000 for 12 months so that you dont damage any trees, grass verges, etc. The €556 to DCC is a much better deal!


----------



## elcato (10 Mar 2017)

Or you could just put a scaffo plank down like the good old days


----------

