Highway boundary extents

A highway boundary extent search can be used to identify the boundary of an adopted road. Adopted roads are maintained by the council at public expense.

Check if a road is adopted

Use the Cheshire East adopted roads gazetteer to check whether a road is adopted.

The gazetteer is suitable for most road adoption enquiries. It does not show the full extent of the highway boundary or whether features such as verges form part of the adopted highway.

If you need this information, request a highway boundary extent search.

When to request a highway boundary extent search

Confirmation of the boundary is often requested during the house purchasing or conveyancing process. For example to find out whether a property is connected to a public road without the need to cross land owned by a third party.

It is also useful for planning applications, identifying the boundary of the highway, and to confirm responsibility for verge areas.

Before you apply

Before you apply it is important to note the following restrictions:

• We only hold information on adopted roads. 
• We are unable to confirm if a property abuts a public highway
• Any information relating to public rights of way will need to be directed to our Public Rights of Way team
• Any requests for Section 38 (adoption agreement) documentation will need to be directed to highwaystechnicalapprovals@cheshireeasthighways.org
• We do not hold information on roads we do not maintain (unadopted or private roads). For further information consult your house deeds and/or the Land Registry

How to apply

We have made the application process as simple as possible. The form should take around 5 to 10 minutes to complete. You need to complete the form for each request. 

In order to qualify as one search, the length of highway requested must be either continual or each unconnected section of highway requested must be less than 50m apart.

You will need the following before you can submit your application:

• road names for the search location
• a plan showing the search area and the lengths of adopted highway you need information about
• contact details

Apply for a highway boundary search

How much does it cost?

Search costs are calculated based on the total length of the sections of the road being searched and whether it is for residential or commercial purposes. You will be charged by the metre so only mark on your plan the road sections you require.

See our fees and charges

Pay for your search

Once you have completed your application, we will send you a quote by email within 20 working days. Your quote will be based on your submitted plans. We will contact you if we need further information. 

You will need:

• reference number from your quotation
• the cost
• a credit or debit card to make payment

Pay for highway boundary extent search

Your quote is valid for 28 days. If we do not receive the payment within 28 days, your quote will become invalid and you will need to submit a new application.

Next steps

When we have received your payment, we will reply to you by email within 20 working days. This will include a map showing the highway boundaries and a supporting letter.