When carrying out any building work, maintenance or removal of any part of a property which is adjacent to the public highway (carriageway, footway or any passage) the safety of all users of the highway must be considered.
Safety for highway users is achieved by providing safe areas at ground level and/or a platform at a high level.
When it is necessary to place hoardings on the highway around the place of work, or erect scaffolding, permission is necessary and can be obtained from us. Once permission has been granted, the conditions attached to the licence must be carefully read and adhered to at all times.
Hoarding licence conditions
If the hoardings are to be on site for a substantial period, then the hoardings must be suitably decorated with art:
- To be a minimum of 2.5m high and to be able to withstand high winds.
- Illumination may be required if street lighting is not adequate.
- Must have a smooth finish with no protruding parts.
- Pedestrian walkways which will not be less than 1.2m in width are to be maintained or provided and regularly inspected by the contractor.
Scaffolding licence conditions
During the erection or dismantling period, a safe working area at ground level is required to be provided for pedestrians - this means that in the Town Centre, this work is to be carried out outside normal working hours - after 6.00pm or before 8.00am on a Sunday.
Scaffolding will require illumination unless no part of it is less than 0.45m (18 inches) from a carriageway in a horizontal direction and no part of it over a footway is less than 2.4m (8 feet) above the footway.
A pedestrian walkway is to be maintained around the scaffolding. If this cannot be arranged, it needs to allow access under and through the scaffold safely. There should be no trip hazards, no projecting tubes or fittings, the scaffold should be covered adequately to provide a working platform and prevent materials or debris falling through. Poles are to be highlighted and padded for protection.
A minimum free walking width of 1.2 m is to be maintained to be enable persons in wheelchairs/prams, etc, to pass the scaffold safely.
We have the necessary powers to issue licenses for scaffolding to require erection of hoardings to separate building works from the street and to ensure hoardings are securely erected.
In certain locations the erection of a scaffold within an area of highway that vehicles would normally expect to be able to drive along, could well mean that there is insufficient width to continue to safely allow vehicles to do so. In circumstances such as this a temporary traffic order may well be required. The Traffic Section must be consulted prior to the scaffold being erected and a temporary order processed if required. There is a charge applicable to this.
When erecting scaffolding near to pedestrian crossings and traffic signals permission must be obtained from the Traffic Section to ensure signal heads and crossing points are not obstructed.
Fees:
Hoarding:
- New: £79.20 (per 28 days)
- Renewal:£55 (per 28 days)
- Retrospective application (following Officer visit): £122.10
- Inspection hoarding: Cost recovery + 5%
Scaffolding:
- New: £99 (per 28 days)
- Renewal: £58.30 (per 28 days)
- Long term applications (per 6 months): £535.70
- Long term renewal (per 6 months): £495
- Annual permission: £1538.90
- Retrospective application (following Officer visit): £122.10
Apply
To apply please email: