| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| JohnB |
Cost of Building a RoadwayI'm thinking of buying a smallholding that may need a new entrance roadway. I'm not talking posh driveway with flashy brick paving, but something practical and long lasting that won't make visitors cars muddy whenever they use it!It's likely to be around 100 metres long through woodland, so there will be tree stumps that need removing. It will probably have to cross one or two small streams too. And there needs to be a car parking area. Most traffic will be cars and vans, although I suppose there may be the occasional tractor or small lorry. - 100m single track roadway through woodland - Bridge or culvert across a small stream (probably some feet below road level) - Parking area for maybe 5-10 cars - Connecting to unclassified fairly well used road A rough idea of costs (thousands, many thousands, tens of thousands) would do, but lots of detail would be even better 
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| jema |
 I don't know the answer, but it's a really good question!
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| vegplot |
If the holding doesn't have an existing entrance you will probably need planning permission. The woodlands I've worked on have all had a local quarry, often in or close to the wood itself. A lot will depend on the ground conditions and soil type. | ||
| JohnB |
I've been told that blue marl was quarried there many decades ago, but don't know any more about the soil. It's in NW Carmarthenshire. I don't think there's a quarry on the land now, and I'd want to disturb the wood as little as possible. I think any materials would have to be bought in.
The reason for building the roadway would be because there is a potential building plot on the site, but it doesn't look as though it would be possible to make visibility splays to comply with current regulations, at the current entrance. A few trees would have to go so that more people could live on site to help manage it. So planning permission would be involved. I'm trying to get some costs so I know what I might be taking on. |
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| RichardW |
Buy a digger & do the clearance & ground work yourself. Then sell the digger. Hire a ride on roller too.
The pipe for the crossings will cost about £30 per m length for large pipe or £10 per m for 160mm pipe. Allow 3/4 tonne of 10mm stones per crossing (to bed the pipe). Allow about a 12 tonne load (about £10 per tonne delivered) of "sub base" for every 8m x 3m (about 12" deep) section & extra for the crossings. So about £2k of materials & lots of labour. You could also lay a ground cover material. |
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| Jonnyboy |
The aggregate we used for the drive and round the house was 3 inch crusher run, with rough quarried stone below it. How heavy a vehicle would conceivably use it? | ||
| vegplot |
Don't worry about splays too much, you can often reduce the initial requirement set by the local authority as long as you can justify it. |
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| JohnB |
There's a blind bend at the top of a hill in one direction a short distance from the current entrance, and it's in a 40mph speed limit. The few times I've driven out so far I've been a bit worried, and there would be more people living there than at present. I think visibility could be improved quite a bit though. I wouldn't really want to put in this new roadway, as I'd rather keep the trees and keep life simple. But I want an idea of the costs so I don't get an unaffordable shock later if I need it. |
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| vegplot |
It ha an entrance already? Then it shouldn't be too much of a problem. I don't think Richard's estimate is too far from the mark if you do it yourself and can source the stone locally.
When we've put in entrances we need to move the boundary fence back from the road a little to provide enough clear way. We never applied for planning if there was an existing entrance. However, if there is no planning for a house it is very unlikely you'd ever be granted planning for a permanent house in a woodland. Edit: re-read your original post, ignore most of last para. |
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| JohnB |
In an ideal world there would be no motor vehicles using it. Just the occasional horse and cart, and plenty of cyclists and pedestrians! But in the real world I think it would be mostly cars, delivery vans and a few motorhomes/camper vans. There would be an acre or two of grazing land, so the occasional Land Rover and stock trailer maybe. As the idea is to create a low-impact permaculture smallholding I wouldn't see a real need for tractors or lorries to use it, but there's bound to be a time when someone turns up in a massive vehicle to deliver a few fence posts or a second hand polytunnel! |
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| cassy |
I found these two sites helpful for basic info.
construction gravels and aggregates We've just had a farm track and yard put in. In total, is was just over 1000m2 and took 320 tonnes of 'as dug' and 120 tonnes of 'crusher run'. The depth varied due to peaty areas. The labour cost as much as the materials. Good luck with your project.
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| dpack |
i was going to suggest £5k ish but it depends on the cost of labour /hire and the lumps for the road bed | ||
| resistance is fertile |
If you want it to last it needs doing well.
Always use a teram underneath if there is any risk of mud coming up through. We put in alot of roadways and despite optimistic estimates at the beginning it always ends up using between 1.5 and 2 Tonnes per metre (but we are on a messy clay) two thirds of which is cheap 'quarry fill' type and then topped off with a 40 or 50mm clean stone capping. Vibrating roller is great if possible. We pay £4-6 quid a tonne for fill and about £8 for good clean stone. |