Introduction
Before any minor works are carried out on or adjacent to the public highway you must get a licence from us.
We have recently reviewed the cost of licence fees for applications to work on the highway and for the provision of vehicle crossings over footways and verges. The review confirmed the cost of the licence fees have not kept pace with the costs for administration. Regrettably, this is unsustainable. As such, the fees will be raised as detailed below.
The following charges will apply to:
- Application for minor works on or near the public highway – subject to planning conditions, for example, a waiting bay – £250.00
- Application for minor works (involving excavations) on or near the public highway – £232.00
- Application for the deposition of materials (including work equipment, building materials, rubbish and other things) – £50.00
- Application for a vehicle crossings over footways and verges (Highways Act 1980, Section 184 Licence) – £218
We will also be making a number of improvements to the way we process licences.
The licence
The licence permits minor works, such as tree works, installation of private street furniture, building and re-building boundary walls on or near the highway to be carried out with our approval as the Highway Authority. This licence can also be used to get permission to deposit building materials on the highway.
The licence is commonly referred to as a ‘Section 171’ and is issued under the Highways Act 1980 (Section 171) Road Traffic Regulations Act 1984 (Section 65) and Environment Protection Act 1980 (Section 34).
Standard conditions are attached to the application with additional conditions added as appropriate.
If the highway has to be closed to traffic, a separate application must be made, which will take 3 months to process.
How to apply
A company or contractor can apply on behalf of the land or property owner, but the licence will remain in the possession of the land or property owner.
How do I use it?
Contact us and we will send you a licence application by email, fax or post. We will also give you a unique reference number.
Typically we will require
- Owner and contractor details
- Details of the proposed works
- Location plans
- Traffic Management Plans
You can find a sample Section 171 Application Form (for reference only) in the Downloads section.
Processing your licence
We will process the completed licence application and contact you if we need more information or clarification.
We will then send you a licence to carry out the works, which must remain in possession of the property or land owner. The standard processing time from submitting an application to receiving a granted licence is approximately 10 working days.
You will be informed if your application is refused. An application may be delayed if we have not received all of the requested information. A site visit to discuss the proposed works may also be required.
The application is valid for one month. Subsequent extensions will be treated as new applications and will be subject to a further fee.
Cost
The application form contains current pricing, which is subject to change by administration and legislative changes.
Regulations
Authorisation for the connection of new drainage to existing highway drainage system will not be granted.
The Licence is issued in accordance with the Highways Act 1980 (Section 171), Road Traffic Act 1984 (Section 65) and Environmental Protection Act 1980 (Section 34).
As stated in the licence, the quality of workmanship will be monitored.
General information
Our aim is to
- Assist in the management of street and road works, road closures and traffic movement on Somerset’s roads
- Enable records of works to ensure associated highway integrity.
To achieve this we will need
- An accurate location of where the works are to take place, including a postcode
- Traffic Management Plans for the proposed works
We may impose special conditions
- In the interests of safety
- To minimise the inconvenience to people using the street, in particular, the needs of people with a disability
- To protect the structure of the street and the integrity of apparatus in it.
The applicant must strictly adhere to the conditions attached to the application.