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Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 7:06 pm
by Paddy M
I have acquired an old house out in the sticks surrounded by fields which has only a mud track for access - surprisingly I am going to have to buy a 4x4 to go with the house.
Meanwhile, I need to construct a drive.
Any advice on how wide I should make the drive?
It is about 220 metres from road to house and a local contractor has suggested it should be 2.60 metres wide.
Should it be more?
Do I need passing bays here and there and if so how many would be sensible?
And I know it is going to cost fortune.
Any advice would be much appreciated.
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 7:15 pm
by Dave_L
Make it 3 metres wide.
Is it straight running or is it twisty?
Think ahead - getting a large removal lorry/quarry wagon down the track to the house.
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 7:22 pm
by Paddy M
Thanks Dave. Pretty much straight. There will be a fair few quarry wagons taking the trip - how wide is a quarry wagon?
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:07 pm
by msh paving
8ft 6in is standard lorry :;):
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:30 pm
by Dave_L
That's 2550mm or so - so 3m will leave a bit of 'margin' to ensure wagons don't trash your grass verges!
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:42 pm
by GB_Groundworks
if your in the high peak we'd be happy to help haha shameless self promotion i know :p
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:50 pm
by nick65
Your looking at over 600m2 of drive here so make sure you get 3-5 quotes before taking the plunge. I was born and raised in the country and for me theres no better place to live. Ive known townies move to the country and ruin the look of there new period home by having a high gloss imprinted concrete drive installed that looks like it belongs in a holiday resort or shopping mall.Personally i think long drives leading to country houses look best when they are as natural looking as possible like gravel or chippings with or without edging.Passing bays would be wise for the installation but after its done one would be suffice, other than the post man your hardly likely to meet bumper to bumper half way up as your not likely to have visitors just drop by.Plus its straight and you can see up its length.The way the industry is at the moment you could get your self a good price.Good luck Nick.
Posted: Fri Dec 12, 2008 9:48 pm
by GB_Groundworks
we live on a farm up a lane and there are passing points about every 250 metres that are different farms drives etc, the lane has ditches on both sides and at probably every 2 weeks i have to tow someone out of the ditch who is blocking the lane, people can't reverse nowadays.
heres is a track we put in for a farm with a lot of horse access hence the middle left in just type 1 so they can grip.
gi
Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 12:55 am
by Paddy M
Thanks all. Advice much appreciated - sounds like 3m would be the safer bet plus a passing place somewhere.
Happy Christmas.
nick65 - don't worry it will be done as naturally as we can.
Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 9:42 am
by GB_Groundworks
we have had this problem on our hillside, we and the big farmers been there 40 + years recently flood of townies well 2 houses, anyway they complain at any work we do and call the council police etc this is working on our own land. they say the countryside should be left as it is, the don't seem to realise the country side only looks the was it does now due to 300 + years of management by farmers and us country folk. it can't be just left to return to nature as they would like.
Posted: Sat Dec 13, 2008 2:46 pm
by nick65
Now thats what i'm talking about GB. A proper country track suited to machine and beast alike. The village of my birth is now almost entirely London commuters, and as we know city folk are scarred of the dark and of the strange creatures that farmers keep in fields. As a result of this the new occupants of my old village have petitioned the local council for street lights, had a local free range chicken and egg farmer move his stock to another field so the cockerel doesnt disturb there sunday slumber and now there onto the widlife people to relocate a pair of owls as the noise keeps them up at night and frieghtens there children. One family even complained to a farmer about having to drive there car over cow dung each time he moved them to a field across the road. As GB says its taken centuries of hard graft to create the countryside. Its a working environment so what are they complaining for.Better than having a six lane motorway, car plant and platics factory outside your door i know.
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 12:35 pm
by DNgroundworks
Well said! The village i live in in is exactly the same, apparentley developers are moving in to refurb an old pub its outhouse's and surrounding land in to a "travel in" like you see at service stations and the like!
Ridiculous as theres only 200 people in the village and where well out int sticks, so to me theres no point in an "inn"
Im int ribble valley by the way, any one near me?
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:11 pm
by nick65
I think our city cousins attempt to tame the countryside to lessen there fear of it, and some are very put out when they find there wealth doesnt buy them respect or acceptance.This comes about only by hard work, honesty and taking an interest in your new community so as you become involved and then a part of it.Many strangley choose to not even acknowledge the existance of there nieghbours and live like that for years.Shame about your local pup. Something very simillar here in rural south Oxfordshire has been done off the A34. Just a service station with a farm make over that makes it look like a hidious mutant between Crossroads, Dallas and Shell Oil. They advertise for people to book the place for partys and the like but refuse to serve you after 4 pints. It makes my head spin.
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2008 10:44 pm
by GB_Groundworks
4 pints and your head is spinning haha
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2008 10:29 am
by Tony McC
Some years ago, a developer chum bought a couple of fields from a farmer and built a handful of houses. Once about two-thirds were sold, a residents' committee was formed (chuffing Daily Wail readers), and they petitioned my pal to have him compel the farmer to cease slurrying the adjacent arable fields. One memorable comment from the self-important "chair" of the residents' cttee noted that "they hadn't paid all this money to live in the country and have to endure such overpowering odours".
Well bugger off back to Manchester, then! 