Do I need a licence for scaffolding on a pavement or road in Cornwall?

Who issues the licence

Cornwall Council is the highway authority for almost every road and footway in the county. If your scaffold sits on the pavement, overhangs it, or blocks part of the road, the council has to agree to it first.

Trunk roads such as the A30 are run by National Highways, not the council. A scaffold on one of those is rare for a house, but if it applies to you the process is different.

When you need one

You need a licence when any of these are true:

• The standards, the uprights, stand on the pavement or road.
• The scaffold overhangs the footway, even if it is tied to your wall and nothing touches the ground.
• A fan, a gantry or a covered walkway goes over the pavement.
• Skips, materials or a hoist need to sit on the highway while the scaffold is up. These often need their own separate permission.

When you do not

If the whole scaffold sits inside your own boundary, on your drive, garden or private land, and nothing overhangs the public highway, no highway licence is needed. You still need the landowner's permission if you are building off a neighbour's land.

Who applies

In practice the scaffolding contractor applies. The council wants to know who is responsible for the structure, and wants proof of public liability insurance. The contractor is the one who holds that cover and builds to the licence conditions.

Ask your scaffolder at the quote stage whether a licence is needed and whether the cost of it is in their price. It should be written down.

Fees and lead times

Council fees and processing times change, so check the current figures on the Cornwall Council website rather than relying on a number you read elsewhere. Build the lead time into your programme. A roofer who turns up before the licence is granted cannot start on a scaffold that is not allowed to be there.

What pedestrian management involves

Where a scaffold takes up the footway, people still need a safe way past. Depending on the width left, that means one of these:

• A clear walkway under the scaffold, boarded overhead with a fan or crash deck so nothing falls on anyone.
• Lighting on the scaffold at night, usually on the corners and the ends facing traffic.
• Padding on the standards at head and shoulder height.
• Where the pavement is blocked, a protected route into the road with barriers and signs, which can need extra traffic management approval.

Official sources

• Cornwall Council: roads and streets permits and licences

Common questions

Do I need a licence if the scaffold is only up for a week?

Yes. The licence depends on where the scaffold stands, not how long it is up. A one week job on the pavement needs one just the same as a three month job.

Can I apply for the scaffold licence myself?

The council generally expects the contractor responsible for the scaffold to apply, because it wants proof of their public liability insurance and holds them to the conditions. Check with your scaffolder before you apply yourself.

What happens if a scaffold goes up without a licence?

The council can take enforcement action and require the scaffold to come down. Any delay to the job and the cost that goes with it falls back on the project.

Does a scaffold on a private drive need a licence?

No highway licence is needed if the scaffold, and anything hanging off it, stays entirely within private land. You still need permission from whoever owns that land.

Is a skip licence the same as a scaffold licence?

No. A skip on the highway needs its own permit. If you are having a skip and a scaffold on the road at the same time, both need sorting.