Private Roads and Verges on the Estate

Most of the roads on the Gatehill Estate are “private” in that they are the property of the Gatehill (Northwood) Residents’ Association. The remainder are “adopted” as they are maintained by Hillingdon council. About sixty per cent of houses on the estate are in these private roads. Green signs on Elgood Avenue and Gatehill Road indicate where the private roads begin.

The Association’s stated aims are to preserve the look and feel of the estate for the benefit of all the residents. We believe that the grass verges add greatly to the attractiveness of the area and that trees, hedges and greenery contribute to the charm of our neighbourhood.

The roads, verges and crossovers, which allow access to the residents’ property, belong to the Gatehill (Northwood) Residents’ Association from whom written consent must be obtained for any proposed alterations to existing crossovers.

The trustees of the Gatehill (Northwood) Residents’ Association are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the private roads on the estate and managing the finances to be able to do so.  A road fund subscription is paid by members of the Estate to cover the cost of annual drains clearance as well as future repairs and resurfacing.

A speed limit of 20mph is in operation on all the private roads.

Parking on the roads is intended for temporary visitor parking only as the private estate roads are narrow and without pavements. Where possible, parking for your vehicles and those of your visitors should be accommodated within the boundary of your property.

By long established practice, each property owner maintains the verge alongside the frontage or side boundary. Low hedges, shrubs, low walls or open grass lawns are all permitted transitions from a front garden to the verge, although gates and railings are not allowed.

Soft landscaping (i.e. grass, planting, trees etc.) contributes both to the aesthetics and the drainage of properties on the estate and should be preserved. Residents should avoid damaging the grass verges by not driving or parking on them and ensuring that visitors and tradespeople do likewise.

Small boulders are permitted on the verge if this is considered necessary to deter parking and vehicle access. Skips, portaloos, machinery and deliveries of building material should be sited on residents’ land and not on the verges.

Any damage to the grass verges should be made good by the owner. This is especially important at the conclusion of building work.

Useful documents for those considering alterations to drives and crossovers, and Hillingdon Council guidance for paving front gardens are linked below.

Contact : roads@gatehill.org

Adopted Roads on the Estate

It is the responsibility of Hillingdon Council to maintain the roads, pavements and verges.  However, we encourage the residents to cut the grass on the verges  and to keep them in good order. Visitors and tradespeople should not park on the verges to prevent damage and help preserve the appearance of the Estate.

Residents living on the adopted roads will need to apply to Hillingdon Council if they wish to make any alterations to the crossovers. Details can be found on the Council’s website:

Hillingdon- Building Dropped Kerb

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