Driveways

Site plan

Before beginning construction or modification of a driveway, we highly recommend that you engage a suitably qualified professional to prepare a detailed site plan. The plan should include all above and below ground infrastructure assets/services and vegetation across the verge.

For any driveway enquires including formwork inspections, please provide the following information to tccs.dcdevelopmentcoordination@act.gov.au prior to commencing any construction work and/or making any driveway modifications:

• DA lodgement number or smartform reference number
• block, section and suburb
• details of the work, including drawings and associated photos to show formwork set up including the placement of the reinforcement mesh and clearances from any other assets.

Note: A Landscape Management and Protection Plan must be submitted in accordance with Transport Canberra and City Services Reference Document 4 (PDF 117KB) and the Landscape Management and Protection Plan Advisory Note (PDF 290KB).

Driveway layout review and site plan approval

This is for residential developments that need a building approval (BA).

You need a driveway approval to:

• construct a new driveway or
• change the location, dimensions, layout, or material of an existing driveway.

This approval could also be used for adding a second driveway to residential developments that do not require a development application (DA).

A driveway approval is not required for a development application if the design and location of the driveway(s) have not changed since the last approval.

How to apply

Submit your site plan, landscape management and protection plan, and a dilapidation report via smart form.

Applications must meet the planning requirements, including:

• driveway width, location and slope
• sight line and clearances from existing municipal assets and trees.

Please apply well in advance, rather than close to the project’s completion. The standard processing time for driveway layout review approvals are a minimum of 15 working days. Submission fees apply.

Please note:

Stamped building approval drawings from a certifier do not mean that the driveway is approved. Depending on your work, approval may be required.

If your DA Notice of Decision states that you must lodge a Design Review submission, the driveway and all works on public land will be reviewed as a part of the Design Review Process. Submit your Design Review through the ProjectWise portal.

Formwork clearance approval

At this stage you should have one of the following documents prior to making this application:

• Stamped drawings from EPSDD (for a development application process) OR
• Stamped drawings from TCCS (for a building approval process)

Please note that this is a HOLD point. Formwork clearance needs to be issued PRIOR to pouring the concrete onsite.

Supporting documents

You will need the following documents for formwork clearance:

• plans from previous building approvals or development applications concerning this driveway.
• photographs showing measurement of the driveway formwork, including:
  • width at the boundary line of the block
  • width of the driveway at the kerb where the driveway and the vehicular crossing meet
  • length of the driveway from the kerb crossing (kerb ramp) to the boundary line
  • length of the driveway from the block boundary to building line
  • depth of the driveway slab (minimum 100mm)
  • distances from the edge of the driveway to verge trees and/or any adjoining assets such as sumps, pits, streetlights, mini-pillars, signage and manholes.
• photographs of the garage from the opposite side of the street showing the full view of the verge crossing
• formwork complying with applicable Standards, Specifications and Standard Drawings.

How to apply

Please send all your supporting documents via smart form.

Depending on the quality of your submission, we may need to conduct a site inspection.

Please plan well in advance and allow 4-5 working days for formwork approval.

We will contact you by email confirming it is permissible to proceed with pouring the concrete. This email is NOT a driveway approval. You MUST have a driveway certificate before applying for the Certificate of Occupancy and Use from your certifier, or before starting the unit title process. Submission fees apply. This fee includes the cost for the driveway certificate.

Requirements

Make sure that the subbase is clean, stable, free of perishable material and compacted to the required density. Also note that polished concrete and tiled finishes are not permitted.

Make sure that expansion joints, construction joints and weakened plane joints are provided as per the Standard Drawing ACTSD-0701

If a path crosses the driveway, it must be continuous. Provide continuity lines and consistent longitudinal grade and cross fall along the path alignment. Paths are plain, unpainted concrete, regardless of the driveway material.

Driveway certificate

Formwork clearance MUST be obtained prior to pouring the driveway to receive a driveway certificate.

How to apply

Please send the photographs showing the measurements of the finished driveway to the assigned project lead during the formwork clearance approval. If you are unsure who your project lead is, please send the photographs to tccs.dcdevelopmentcoordination@act.gov.au.

Photographs must show the measurement of the finished driveway, including:

• width at the boundary line of the block
• width of the driveway at the kerb where the driveway and the vehicular crossing meet
• distances from the edge of the driveway to verge trees and/or any adjoining assets such as sumps, pits, streetlights, mini-pillars, signage, and manholes.
• the garage from the opposite side of the street showing the full view of the verge crossing.
• the location of the expansion joints, construction joints and weakened plane joints as per the Standard Drawing ACTSD-0701
• the verge including evidence of replacing the topsoil, sowing of dryland grass seed mix and removal of any sleepers, stakes, fences or similar.

If satisfactory, the compliance assessment officer will issue the final verge driveway inspection certificate.

The verge driveway inspection certificates are issued for that part of the driveway which is built on the territory land. We do not issue a verge driveway inspection certificate for the vehicular crossings that are built by the estate developers and have been accepted as part of the Operational Acceptance process.

Building certifiers should make sure that the driveway(s) inside the block comply with the slope requirements as per AS2890.1 and all other applicable standards.

Application form

Use the approval form to add a new driveway or modify an existing driveway. This form covers driveways, stormwater easements, waste management plans and landscape management protection plans. It will step you through the required approvals based on your proposed works and prompt you to upload a site plan. You can commence the application form and save it to complete at a later time. Fees apply.

Applications can only be accepted in electronic format. If you have difficulty with the form please contact tccs.dcdevelopmentcoordination@act.gov.au.

For Early Works Submissions, please visit the Early works page for more information.

Approval is required to change the location, size or layout of the existing driveway.

If the driveway is being replaced with plain or asphaltic concrete without modifying the original shape, size, location or surface type of the driveway; approval of the design of the driveway is not required.

However, photographs of the formwork/sub-base must be submitted via email for assessment prior to pouring the concrete/asphalt and applying the surface finish.

A second driveway and kerb crossing over the verge may be permitted if the following criteria can be met.

Forward entry to roads carrying greater than 3,000 vehicles per day, or large blocks where the visual impact to the streetscape is not adversely affected, provided the site access is of appropriate proportions and character with respect to:

• relationship to verge footpath: splay, grade etc.
• total proportion of the width of the access relative to the building width: 5 metres at kerb and 3.5 metres at property boundary etc.
• design features: steepness/grade
• protection of existing landscape features: trees and their clearances

Following approval, a second driveway should be constructed subject to the conditions which are located in the Territory Plan and MIS07 - Driveways (PDF 1MB).

Assessment officers undertake a review of the formwork/sub-base photo images that must be emailed to tccs.dcdevelopmentcoordination@act.gov.au after the driveway application has been submitted.

The steps are as follows:

1. Approved plans from previous Building Applications (BAs) or Development Applications (DAs) concerning this driveway
2. Photographs showing the formwork complying with applicable standards, specifications and standard drawings
3. Photographs showing the formwork layouts, from the edge of the road/kerb to the front property line
4. Photographs showing the following:
   1. measurements of the formwork (using a tape measure with dimensions clearly shown) demonstrating that the width of the driveway at the kerb & the property boundary match the approved plan and
   2. distances from the edge of the driveway to verge trees and/or any adjoining assets such as sumps, pits, streetlights, mini-pillars, signage, manholes and the like as applicable.

5. Photographs showing the full view of the verge crossing.

Plain coloured or stamped concrete, bitumen or pavers are acceptable driveway materials. Concrete strength is 32 Mpa for a standard residential driveway.

The maximum uphill gradient for a driveway on the verge is 17%. The maximum downhill gradient is 12%.

Variations to the design of the driveway in different situations are covered in MIS07 - Driveways (PDF 935KB). These maximum grades are required for the safe operation of the driveway.

Figure 1 below shows the vehicle crossing in kerb (between road surface and the first expansion joint). Figure 2 shows the driveway grade.

Note 1: Single dwelling driveways that do not meet the standard driveway widths may be supported subject to justification such as matching existing streetscape or in locations where the front boundary is less than 12 metres in width.

Note 2: The maximum width at the property boundary and kerb line will only be supported where the driveway is serving a double or larger garage, or multiple dwellings; in all other cases the maximum is to be as per the standard driveway type R.

Standard driveway width at the kerb can only be increased to a maximum 5.5 metres to accommodate construction of a double garage, providing all clearance requirements are met.

Industrial strength driveways are for:

• residential dwellings of four or more units, and
• commercial or industrial dwellings.

Industrial driveways are assessed in a Design Acceptance submission.

In normal circumstances an industrial driveway should have a Development Application lodged with EPSDD. TCCS requests a Design Acceptance for any off site works including driveways in accordance with the approved Notice of Decision of the Development Application.

We encourage retaining the footpath when constructing a new driveway. However, the footpath can be removed and then reconstructed as long as the new footpath section is constructed in accordance with MIS07 - Driveways (PDF 1.5 MB). Refer to Figure 3 - Incorrect footpath priority and Figure 4 - Correct footpath priority.

The driveway must be located at least three metres from the outside of the trunk of any existing new or small tree, and outside of the drip line of mature street trees. However, the ACT Government may approve variations to this requirement upon application.

A landscape management and protection plan will be required for any driveway works proposed within the Tree Protection Zone (edge of canopy plus 2 metres) of a tree located on the verge.

Below is a list of definitions used on this page.

Driveway: The paved area between the road kerb and the property boundary where a vehicle can access a property.

Road reserve: The section of land that includes the carriageway and nature strips on both sides of the carriageway, usually measured from property boundary to property boundary.

Vehicle crossing: The section of the kerb that has been removed and replaced in concrete to allow easy vehicle access. Refer to Figure 1 below.

32 MPA: Concrete strength, in mega-pascals, after 28 days in accordance with Australian Standard AS1379.

Cross fall: The slope at right angles to the alignment given to the surface of any part of the carriageway – usually expressed as percentage

Grade (gradient): The rate of longitudinal rise or fall of a driveway – usually expressed as a percentage.

Formwork: Wooden (sometimes steel) boards used as a mould to contain fresh concrete in the correct position. The formwork is removed once the concrete has cured (hardened).

Road base: A graded rock material used to create a base for roads and driveways.

Nature strip: The area of the road reserve between the kerb and the property boundary.

Tangent Point (TP): A line that touches the circle at a single point. Tangent can be considered for any curved shapes.

Exposed aggregate: A type of decorative concrete or cement finish; which includes but is not limited to rocks, sand, pebbles, stones and granite.