resource hub | Guidance to Ramped Approaches to Dwellings

Guidance on Ramped Approaches to Dwellings

For the purposes on this article, consideration has been given to the following guidance:

 

 

Background

 

The design and approval process for ramps should ensure that people’s movement in and around buildings is safe and accessible. From a developer’s perspective they need to provide this with minimal cost and resource.

 

Where a ramp approach is alongside a car parking bay and within the curtilage of the dwelling, the minimum width requirements for the ramp/car setting down area is as follows:

 

M4(1) Visitable dwellings

 

900mm wide ramp access + 2400mm wide parking bay = total width 3300mm

 

M4(2) Accessible and adaptable dwellings

 

900mm wide ramp access + 2400mm wide parking bay (with space to increase to 3300mm wide)

 

= total width 3300-4200mm

 

M4(3) Wheelchair user dwelling

 

1200mm wide ramp access + 3600mm wide parking bay

 

= total width 4800mm.


In the case below the developer wished to save time and money by omitting the pin kerb between the ramped access and the car parking bay.

 

Does a standard parking bay to a single dwelling have to be separated from an approach to a dwelling?

 

Under Building Regulations for dwelling houses, physical or visual separation is not required between the parking bay and the approach ramp to the dwelling entrance.

 

So in this case the developer could omit the separating kerb, rolling with tarmac across the full width, saving time and material expense.

 

Note: in the case of a 600mm drop between the approach ramp and parking bay, guarding would be required under Approved Document K.

 

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