The simple test
Public highway — pavement, road, verge that the council maintains — usually needs a licence. Land you own, a private drive, a rear garden that never touches the street — usually does not. The grey area is a scaffold that stays on your land but fans over the pavement. We flag that at survey.
Who you apply to in this county
Most of Essex: Essex County Council / Essex Highways. Southend-on-Sea (including Westcliff and Leigh-on-Sea): Southend-on-Sea City Council. Grays, Tilbury, Stanford-le-Hope and the rest of Thurrock: Thurrock Council. Using the wrong portal wastes the week you thought you had.
What it does to the programme
Licences are not same-day. A High Street job in Chelmsford or Billericay needs that lead time in the quote. A garden scaffold in Springfield does not. We would rather add a week on paper than stand a gang down on Monday morning.
We can advise and manage the application as part of the job. Fees belong to the authority. Public liability and a drawing they will accept belong to us.
Quick answers
Can I put a tower on the pavement without a licence?
If it occupies the public highway, treat it as licensed work. A tower is not a free pass. We will tell you at survey rather than argue it after a complaint.
Will you start without the licence?
No. If the design needs highway, the licence is on the critical path. That is the job, not a delay we invent.