Licences for constructions over a public road or pavement

Construction of part of a building

If you want to construct part of a building over any part of a road or footpath (a good example is the walkway over the entrance to the Prince Bishop's multi-storey car park in Durham City) or simply a bay window for a residential property, you will need permission. This permission is in the form of a licence issued under Section 177 of the Highways Act 1980 to carry out works over the highway. A licence will be granted only if the situation does not interfere with or inconvenience people using the road or footpath.

If you want to alter a building constructed over a road or footpath, you will also need to apply to us for permission to carry out the work. A licence fee is payable.

Apparatus

If you would like to place a beam, rail, pipe, cable, wire or any other apparatus over, along or across a road or footpath you should contact us, as the Highway Authority, to ask permission. You will need a licence issued under Section 178 of the Highways Act 1980. This would include, for example, hanging a cable from your house to a garage situated across the road. If you are in any doubt about fixing something above a public road or footpath you should contact us for advice. A licence fee is charged.

You may also need a licence under S178 of the Highways Act 1980 to install CCTV cameras in the road or footpath, or to place a CCTV camera on a building that runs alongside a road or footpath.

How to apply

To apply for any of these licences, please contact us in writing. Your application should include:

• details of the owner of the building
• a description of the apparatus or construction over the road or footpath
• a plan of the proposed location of the apparatus or construction