Did you know that each City and Council in Perth has crossover requirements and regulations for your driveway?
If you are considering amending or renovating your driveway crossover, it is crucial to understand and then adhere to your local regulations.
To help you understand these regulations, what a driveway crossover entails and the potential consequences of non-compliance, we have put this helpful article together.
What is a Driveway Crossover?
The term driveway crossover refers to the transition area between the street, which is public property, and your private home/property. It allows vehicles to enter and exit your driveway safely and properly.
Driveway crossovers serve a vital role in ensuring that traffic flow is maintained on public roads whilst still allowing for convenient private property access. To avoid complications with your local Council’s regulations, make sure that you are familiar with the relevant crossover requirements when installing or modifying your driveway.
While crossover regulations can vary, they are established to ensure safety, functionality, and aesthetic consistency within areas and neighbourhoods. Councils are responsible for maintaining orderly streetscapes and facilitating safe vehicle movement.
Why you should comply with Council crossover requirements
1. Keeping your roads safe
First and foremost is your safety and the safety of your wider family and community. The crossover specifications enforced by local Councils exist to ensure effective traffic management and vehicular movement. Complying with the relevant crossover requirements is important for ensuring everyone’s wellbeing and safety.
2. Incurring fines
If you bulldoze ahead and modify or install a driveway that fails to meet the regulatory requirements, you may incur penalties.
Even ‘compliant’ driveway crossovers that are unauthorised can be the subject of a fine. To ensure your hip-pocket isn’t hit, make sure you comply with all Council regulations.
3. Development delays
In addition to receiving a fine for non-compliance, if the local Council deems your crossover in breach of their regulations it can result in delays during construction and, potentially, even the need for reworking the driveway.
4. Longer term, additional costs
Rectifying non-compliance can be a lengthy and expensive process. In some cases you might have to re-do the entire driveway crossover or modify it to ensure it meets the crossover requirements of your local Council. Either way, it is far easier and cheaper to ensure compliance from the get-go.
Overview of Perth’s Driveway Crossover Regulations
The important point to note is that there is actually variability across Councils in Perth when it comes to crossover requirements and regulations.
It is essential that you understand the specific guidelines of the Council in which you reside as they can differ significantly.
What do crossover requirements typically cover?
- Dimensions
- Materials
- Placement
- Safety
- Environmental considerations
Breaking Down Council Crossover Guidelines
To help you get off on the right foot, here is a high-level overview of some of the Councils around Perth and their respective driveway crossover guidelines. However, it is important to note that regulations can and do change so always check with the relevant Council’s website for up to date and current information.
City of Perth
The City of Perth requires crossovers to be perpendicular to the property boundary with a maximum width of 7.3m and a minimum clearance of 0.75m from side boundaries. Additionally, only industrial-strength concrete pavers or approved alternatives are allowed.
For more information about the City of Perth’s crossover regulations, click here.
City of South Perth
In the City of South Perth, the standard width for driveway crossovers is around 3m with 6m allowed under certain conditions. Like the City of Perth, crossings must be perpendicular to the property boundary with a minimum clearance of 0.5m from side boundaries. Only concrete or brick paving can be used on residential properties.
For more information about the City of South Perth’s crossover regulations, click here.
City of Stirling
The City of Stirling stipulates a minimum width of 3m and maximum widths dependent on specific property conditions. All crossovers should be aligned at right angles with the street and approved materials must meet safety standards.
For more information about the City of Stirling’s crossover regulations, click here.
Town of Cottesloe
The Town of Cottesloe’s crossover requirements are aligned with the other Councils and emphasise both aesthetic consistency and safety.
For more information about the Town of Cottesloe’s crossover regulations, click here.
City of Nedlands
The City of Nedlands’ crossover regulations ensure that there is no impeding on pedestrian access and outlines the expectations regarding maintaining proper drainage. In terms of specific dimensions and materials, the City aligns with other Perth Councils.
For more information about the City of Nedlands’ crossover regulations, click here.
City of Canning
The City of Canning requires a Minimum width of 3m, a maximum width of 6m and right angle alignment. Additionally, there are specific clearance requirements around trees and utilities, as well as depth specifications and approved paving materials.
For more information about the City of Canning’s crossover regulations, click here.
City of Fremantle
The City of Fremantle emphasises maintaining historical aesthetics as well as safety and functionality. Its specific crossover guidelines align closely with the general Perth standards in terms of size, material and location.
For more information about the City of Fremantle’s crossover regulations, click here.
Town of Victoria Park
The Town of Victoria Park’s crossover requirements are similar to the other Councils and emphasise safe access as well as aesthetic appeal.
For more information about the Town of Victoria Park’s crossover regulations, click here.
Other Councils
For other areas of Perth not listed above, homeowners can easily find relevant information by searching for “Crossover regulations” and your local Council’s name online.
Why Hiring Professionals is a Must
As you can see, navigating the complexities and subtleties of local crossover regulations can be difficult but is essential. Relying on experienced contractors like Claremont Asphalt gives you peace of mind and assurance that their professional advice and familiarity with local regulations will result in tailored driveway modifications that is safe, cost effective and compliant.
For more information on our specific crossover services and capability, visit our crossover service page.
The Approval Process
1. Consultation
Before we commence any work, we always recommend homeowners consult with their local Council. This ensures that all necessary regulations are understood and followed from the outset.
2. Application Submission
Next, you will need to submit specific documents and plans as part of your application. The requirements can vary based on the Council’s guidelines, so make sure you refer to your local Council’s needs.
3. Assessment and Review
During this step, the Council will assess your application based on established regulation and criteria. The timeline for this stage of the process can differ significantly depending on the Council’s workload and specific regulations, so the quicker you can start the process the better.
4. Approval and Conditions
Once an application is approved, your local Council might impose some conditions to adhere to during construction. Failure to abide by these conditions can result in non-compliance.
5. Construction and Inspection
During the construction phase, you may be required to arrange Council inspections. However, the frequency and details of these inspections can vary by area.
6. Completion Certificate
Once the driveway crossover is complete, you must obtain a completion certificate from the Council. This is to serve as confirmation that your driveway crossover meets all of the regulator requirements.
Compliant, professional, driveway crossovers service is a call away
For professional advice and fully complaint services for all things driveway crossovers in Perth, contact Claremont Asphalt today.
Our team is ready to assist you in ensuring as smooth a regulatory compliance, approvals, and construction process as possible. Find out more and get your free custom quote by calling (08) 9383 3951.