Scaffolding on the pavement: do you need a licence?

Most houses in London front straight onto the pavement. So when the front of a house needs work, the scaffold often has to stand on the public footpath. That is allowed, but not without permission.

The short answer

In England, scaffolding that stands on a public pavement or road needs a licence from the highway authority before it goes up. In London that is usually your borough council: Lewisham, Bromley, Southwark and so on. On the main red routes it is Transport for London.

If the scaffold is entirely on your own land, such as your front garden or drive, no highway licence is needed.

Why the council wants to know

A scaffold on the pavement changes how people walk past your house. The council wants to be sure there is still a safe way through for pedestrians, prams and wheelchairs, that the scaffold is lit and visible at night, and that whoever puts it up is properly insured. The licence sets conditions about all of that, and about how long the scaffold can stay.

What it means for your start date

Councils ask for the application in advance, and each one has its own forms, fees and timescales. That is the part that catches people out: the scaffold might be ready to go up on Monday, but it cannot stand on the pavement until the licence has come through.

So if your scaffold is going on the street, tell us as early as you can. The sooner we know, the sooner the paperwork can start.

Things that help

• Tell us at the quote stage. Our quote form asks whether the scaffold will stand on the pavement or road, so we know straight away.
• Know roughly how long the work will take. A licence covers a set period. If your builder thinks six weeks, say six weeks; extending a licence is another application.
• Think about parking. If a parking bay outside your house needs to be suspended for the scaffold or the delivery lorry, that is usually a separate request to the council.
• Talk to your neighbours. A scaffold that runs in front of next door's window or across their path goes much more smoothly when they have heard about it from you first.

What about a gantry or a covered walkway?

On busy streets, or where the work is above a shop front, the scaffold can be built as a gantry, with a covered walkway underneath so people can still pass. That also needs the council's agreement, and the design has to keep the pavement clear enough to walk through.

Street work is one of the services we offer. You can read more about it on our services page.