Pavement permits and licences

You need to apply for a pavement permit if you want to extend your seating and table area on to the footway for:

• the production of income
• a centre of advice or information
• advertising

Sufficient Toilet provision

Regardless of whether you apply for a pavement permit or a pavement licence you must ensure that you have sufficient toilet provision for the total number of customer seats (inside and outside) that you will have if your licence is granted.

You can apply for a Pavement permit online at GOV.UK.

Apply for a Pavement permit

If you can't complete the application straight away, you can edit it in your own time. Once you've completed it, you can go back to the application page to complete it.

You can also email your completed application form to our Licensing team.

To complete your application you need to:

• confirm the highway status of the land you wish to use
• pay the correct fee of £327.00
• include a location plan
• include proof of public liability insurance

Your Pavement permit is valid for a year from the date we issue it.

You can download and read our guidance on how to apply for a Pavement permit.

Timescales

Following the submission of an application, there is a consultation period of 28 days during which representations can be made.  In situations where no objections are received, you should receive your permit shortly after the close of the consultation.

In the case where objection(s) have been made or you apply for a permit outside the Council’s policy, the application will need to be determined by the Council’s Licensing Committee which will delay the process. In this event, the applicant will be invited to attend any hearing. 

Once we receive your application, we will:

• acknowledge it within three working days
• hold a consultation for 28 days, allowing for representations
• carry out site visits

You should allow at least two months from the date you apply until we determine if we are going to grant the Pavement permit.

Approval

We will give you express notice of whether or not we have granted your Pavement permit. We can only notify you once we have carried out all of our site visits.

You cannot deem that we have granted your Pavement permit if we do not make a decision within a specific time.

If we receive any representations, we will take the application to the Licensing Committee for councillors to consider. Will will also refer your application to our Licensing Committee if it is outside of our policy. We will invite you to attend any hearing.

We will notify you once our Licensing Committee has made their decision,

If we do not grant your Pavement permit, we will not refund your fee.

If we do not receive any representations, we will grant the Pavement permit.

If we grant your Pavement permit, it is valid for a year from the date we issue it.

Complaints

If you are a customer or a member of the public and are affected by a highway projection, you should contact the responsible business.

You should put your complaint in writing, clearly stating what the issue is.

If you are not satisfied with the response you can take your complaint to:

• The Citizen's Advice Bureau if you live in the UK
• The UK European Consumer Centre if you live outside the UK