Unadopted streets

Lancashire County Council will only consider adopting streets that:

• are front streets which serve as the main or only access to 6 or more houses
• are through streets, connecting to streets that aren't back streets
• are substantially built up, meaning that 75% or more of the frontage is residential or industrial
• have a frontage where less than 10% of the land ownership is not known

For a street ot be adopted, it needs to be in good condition. Lancashire County Council will not adopt a street in poor condition and then improve it using its own budgets. 

There are two ways an unadopted street can become adopted.

The first way, is for frontagers to do improvement works to the street at their own expense. Lancashire County Council then inspect the work and on completion they are then asked to adopt the street by declaration. Notices are posted with a period for objections to be made. Lancashire County Council can apply for any objections to be overruled by the magistrates' court.

The second way is for frontagers to apply to us for the street to be made up in accordance with the Private Street Works procedure contained in Part XI of the Highways Act 1980.

For more information, email us at engineering@pendle.gov.uk.

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