Roads & Driveways

Water Environment provides road and driveway design services for residential developments, commercial sites and private estates. We manage the design process from initial layout and levels through to adoption by the highway authority or private handover, and we have extensive experience of navigating the statutory agreements required for works within and adjacent to the adopted highway.

Discuss road or driveway design →

Road Design for Adoption (Section 38)

New roads serving residential developments are typically offered for adoption under Section 38 of the Highways Act 1980. We prepare full highway design packages in accordance with the local highway authority's design standards, including carriageway and footpath layout, longitudinal and cross-sectional gradients, kerbing, road furniture, street lighting coordination, surface water drainage, and pavement design for both adoptable and permeable surfaces.

Residential road and access design at Land North of Queens Mead

Highway Improvements (Section 278)

Where a development requires changes to the existing public highway — for example a new vehicular access junction, visibility splay improvements, or off-site footway connections — we prepare the engineering design to support a Section 278 agreement with the highway authority, including all drawings and specifications required for approval and construction.

Work in the Public Road (Section 50)

New utility connections from private developments to adopted services often require excavation in the public highway. We co-ordinate Section 50 streetworks licence applications and provide the necessary engineering information to satisfy the New Roads and Street Works Act requirements.

Sewer Diversions in the Highway (Section 185)

Where existing adopted sewers run beneath a proposed development or adjacent highway works, a Section 185 diversion may be necessary. We carry out alignment and level design for sewer diversions within the highway, liaising with the sewerage undertaker and highway authority to achieve approval and construction.

Private access roads and driveways at Broadoaks Estate, West Byfleet

Private Roads and Driveways

We design and detail private access roads and driveways for residential and commercial sites, including pavement design for both impermeable and permeable surfaces, drainage, junction geometry, and turning areas. Our designs comply with local authority requirements and incorporate sustainable drainage where appropriate.

How we work

Layout and levels — we set out the road and driveway geometry, levels and gradients against the highway authority's standards and the wider site layout.
Detailed design — we design the carriageways, pavements, drainage and associated works, incorporating sustainable drainage where appropriate.
Statutory agreements — we prepare the engineering submissions for the relevant Section 38, 278, 50 or 185 agreements and liaise with the highway authority and sewerage undertaker.
Construction support — we support the works through to adoption or private handover.

Why Water Environment?

Roads and drainage are inseparable — levels, gradients and surface water all have to resolve together. Because we design the highways alongside the SuDS and foul and surface water drainage, the road levels and the drainage strategy are developed as one, avoiding the clashes that arise when they are split between consultants. We navigate the Section 38, 278, 50 and 185 agreements for clients across all of England and Wales.

We are members of the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM) and hold professional qualifications with the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

Related Projects