For groundworkers
Dropped kerbs, driveways and foundations all start on the register
A dropped kerb needs consent. A new driveway usually does. Every new build starts with groundworks. All of it is published before the work starts.
Groundworks reach the register in three shapes. The smallest is access: a dropped kerb, a new vehicle crossing, a driveway where a garden used to be. Councils treat these as planning applications when the road is classified or the property is in a conservation area, so a steady stream of them is public.
The middle is extensions and outbuildings. Every one needs foundations and drainage. The largest is new build, where groundworks are the first thing on site.
The descriptions tell you which is which. "Formation of vehicular access and hardstanding" is a fortnight you can quote for now. "Erection of two dwellings with associated parking and landscaping" is a package worth planning your year around, and it is approved months before anyone breaks ground.
Because groundworks come first, the gap between approval and start on site matters more to you than to most trades. The decision timeline guide covers how long councils take. What happens after a decision explains the conditions that have to be cleared before work can legally start.
One that has already been approved
A real record from the index, relevant to groundworkers
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26/01023/FUL Granted
26 Rossett Green Lane Harrogate North Yorkshire HG2 9LH
Demolition of existing Garage. Erection of first floor side extension, part two-storey, part single-storey rear extension, two-storey front extension, loft conversion and new detached garage with studio over. Alterations to fenestration. Widening of existing highway crossing and erection entrance gates, gate posts and railings. Widening of existing driveway.
Published by North York Moors National Park. An alert for that area would have put this in your inbox on 3 September 2026.
Not sure how many jobs your patch actually produces? Ask us before you pay and we will tell you what the register shows.