Alleys, alleyways, paths and passages. Whatever name you use
for the narrow walkways on housing estates, putting gates on
them to restrict access has proved to be successful way of
reducing both crime and the fear of crime.
This step by step guide shows you how to start an alley gating
scheme in your area.
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Contents
A bit about alleys
Page 3
Alley Gating Schemes
Page 3
Benefits of Alley Gating
Page 4
What will my responsibilities be
Page 5
Step by Step Guide to Gating
Page 6
Step 1 – Support and Help
Step 2 – Consulting Your Neighbours
Step 3 – Setting up a resident’s association
Step 4 – Applications
Step 5 – Design and construction of the gates
Step 6 – Funding
Step 7 – Implementation
Step 8 – Alley way improvements
Appendix A – Consultation form
Appendix B – Examples of types of alley gates used elsewhere
Appendix C – Example of Key Agreement form
Page 7
Page 7
Page 8
Page 8
Page 9
Page 10
Page 10
Page 11
Page 12
Page 14
Page 15
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A Bit About Alleys
Alleys can be really useful, especially for those people who live in terraced housing.
They allow you access to the rear of your homes for putting out the bin or to stop you
from having to carry DIY materials through your house.
However, they are also useful to criminals. When a burglar is planning on breaking into
your home the two most important things he thinks about is, will he be seen and can he
escape. Alley ways provide a place that is out of the sight of the public and can also be
used as escape routes.
Gating off these alleys so only the residents have access helps keep burglars out.
Alley Gating Schemes
Alley gating is simply a method of restricting access to the rear of your home in order to
prevent crime being carried out. Burglars prefer to break into a house through the back
door or window. Access through the front of properties only accounts for 15% of
domestic burglaries. A criminal can use the alleyway at the back of a terrace house
without being seen, even in broad daylight. If criminals know the alleyways in an area
well, they can also use them as escape routes.
The idea of alley gating isn't a new concept and it is believed that many alleys were
gated prior to the second world war. The gates and railings were removed for the war
effort but were never replaced as they did not pose a security problem then.
With a continual increase in the number of burglaries it has been shown that the design
and layout of older properties play a major role in increasing the opportunities for
criminal behaviour.
Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) is a crime reduction strategy
that acknowledges the potential to reduce opportunities for criminal behaviour through a
secure layout and design of the built environment. CPTED seeks to create a physical
environment conducive to the overall security of the community by using the following
principles;
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Defensible space
Improved surveillance
Promotion of territoriality
Community interaction
Environmental balance
Circulation management
The avoidance of crime generators
Alley gating is one way of applying the principles of CPTED without incurring large
refurbishment costs.
The facts are that alley gating does have many benefits. Schemes carried out in other
cities have shown that burglary rates are reduced drastically.. Some of the benefits
shown in other schemes are detailed below.
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Benefits of
Alley Gating
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Reduce domestic burglary (3 out of 4 offences in Terrace
streets are via the rear alley)
Reduce the fear of Crime
Create a safer and cleaner environment
Stop vandalism
Reduce Arson
Eradicate areas of unsociable behaviour
Improve community spirit by giving a sense of ownership of the
alleys
Stopping dog fouling
Creating safer play areas for children
Reduce fly tipping
Reduce rat runs
Reduce drug dealing
Increase the value of properties
Reduce the cost of Home Insurance
Reduce the cost of Local Authority Services
Force crime and offending out into the open
Reduce the number of void properties.
Improve the desirability and value of properties in run down
areas
Improve the health of residents - they are not afraid to leave or
return home
Bring communities back together.
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What will my responsibilities be?
If you decide, after reading this guide, that you would like to pursue an alley
gating scheme you need to be clear on what you will need to do and what your
responsibilities will be.
Costs
Salford City Council will pay for all costs necessary to allow you to put up alley
gates. For a standard alley gating scheme this will be approximately £1110 for
the applications for planning permission and closure. (These are detailed more
later in this document,) However you and your neighbours will have to fund the
gates themselves. Depending upon the specification you use and the size of the
gate required this would be around £1000 - £2000 per gate.
Consents
As the scheme will affect not only you but also your neighbours it will be your
responsibility to get their consent for the erection of the gates.
Maintenance
Once installed, the gates and the alley itself will belong to you and your
neighbours. It is therefore your responsibility to maintain the gates and to look
after the alley. It is advisable to start up a residents association with your
neighbours in order to share out this responsibility and you could even set up a
bank account to collect money for a maintenance fund. There will be someone at
hand to assist and advise you throughout your scheme and it maybe be possible
to apply for funds to assist with any costs and maintenance.
The rest of this document guides you through each step towards gating
your alley and explains in more details the help and support that Salford
City Council can provide.
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Step by Step Guide to Alley Gating
The following flow chart outlines the steps you need to take in order to implement
an alley gating scheme where you live. Further detail on each step is explained
later in this document.
STEP 1
STEP 2
STEP 3
STEP 4
Contact your Alley Gating Representative to
arrange a meeting.
Send the consultation letters to all residents
who will be affected by the scheme. You should
aim to get 70% of residents agreeing to the
scheme with no objections
Arrange a meeting with your neighbours. You
may wish to set up a residents association to
help with the implementation of the scheme.
Your Alley Gating representative will apply for
planning permission and for closure of the alley
on your behalf.
STEP 5
Decide on a specification for the gates and
Obtain estimates for the gates - invite 3
manufacturers to obtain a competitive price.
Each gate will cost approximately £1000 £2000.
STEP 6
Speak to your alley gating representative about
applying for other funding sources to assist with
the cost of your gates
STEP 7
Providing the funding is in place and steps 2
and 4 are complete you will be ready to install
the gates. You will need to arrange for keys to
be distributed prior to their fitting.
STEP 8
These steps may be
carried out in any
order as soon as you
decide you want to
continue with the
scheme. It is
recommended that a
month be spent on
these.
All these steps can
be carried out
alongside each
other. The closure
application will take
between 2-5 months
so you should aim to
have the other steps
completed in this
time.
It will take
approximately 8
weeks to
manufacture and
install the gates.
Once the gates are installed, should you wish,
your alley gating representative will help you
apply for funding to improve your alley.
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Step 1 – Support and Help
The Burglary Reduction Initiative will help and support you from the beginning
through to the end of the scheme. There is a single point of contact within the
team and they will be available to help you through each process. They can be
contacted on the following
Burglary Reduction Initiative
1st Floor
St James's House
Pendleton Way
Salford
M6 5FW
0161 603 4260
Step 2 - Consulting your neighbours
You will need to write to everyone whose home backs on to the alleyway to find
out if they support the idea of gating off the alleyway. You can use this
opportunity to drum up support from your neighbours. Alley gating schemes can
be a time consuming task and the more support you have from your neighbours
the better.
Attached is an example of a consultation form (Appendix A) that you could use. It
is recommended that you use this form as it will gather information that might be
needed further on in the scheme.
Should there be any objections from this consultation you will need to try and
resolve these before the scheme goes ahead. Speak to your alley gating
representative about any objections or alternatively you can contact
Salford Mediation
2 Dean Walk
Bolton
BL3 0JT
01204 335258
To assist you in resolving any objections.
It is recommended that you get around 70% of residents consenting to the
scheme with no objections. If you don’t get this straight away don’t worry, there
will be plenty of time to chase up any consent forms whilst the other steps are
taking place.
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Step 3 – Setting up a resident’s association
It is recommended that a resident's group is formed to manage the
implementation of the scheme and also to maintain the gates once they are up. If
this is an official group there are also other advantages, for example you may be
able to apply for funding to assist you with the costs of the scheme or for
providing environmental improvements to enhance the look of the alley. There is
a section on Funding which provides you with more detail on this issue.
The minimum requirement for a group is to have a Chairperson, Secretary and a
treasurer. Your resident's group will assume management of the scheme and
maintain responsibility for the gates once they are installed. You may need to set
up a bank account in the name of the scheme to cover all project costs and
maintenance costs. (The costs of the schemes are detailed further below). Your
alley gating representative will assist you in setting up these groups.
Step 4 - Applications
Planning Permission
You may not need planning permission if your gate is no more then 2 metres high
and does not join directly with a public right of way. However, the majority of alley
gating schemes will require planning permission in order to actually erect the
gates. Your alley gating representative will be able to advise you on this matter.
Salford City Council aims to decide 80% of applications within eight weeks of
receipt and in many cases, for more straightforward proposals, this figure is often
between four and six weeks. It should be noted that the gates can not be erected
until the planning department have approved your application. Your alley gating
representative will fill out your planning application for you free of charge. Salford
City Council will also provide funds for the cost of your application. This will be
done as soon as is practicable.
Closure Application
Your alley gating representative will be able to tell you if your alleyway is a public
right of way or not. If it is a public right of way then an application will need to be
made, to the highways department, to permanently close the alleyway.
Your alley gating representative will apply for closure for you as soon as possible,
After the first month they will be able to advise you if there has been any
objections to the closure and how long it is likely to take. The majority of closures
will be complete within 2-5 months but there may be instances where this
process will take longer. While the application is going through you may continue
with other steps in this alley gating guide.
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Step 5 - Design and Construction of The Gates
The design of the gates you install is extremely important for security purposes
and also for the gate’s visual appearance, The final choice however should not
compromise effectiveness, while a timber fence might seem an attractive and
less costly alternative, it is unlikely that it’s performance will match that of a steel
gate. It will also require a lot more maintenance and in the long run end up more
expensive.
Whatever your gate is made of it must be designed with the following features;
Anti-climbing
Natural Surveillance
Make sure the gate has no centrally
located horizontal bars or anything that
could give the burglar a foothold and
enable him to climb over the gate.
The gate should not be solid – it must give
a clear line of sight down the communal
alleyway.
Locking
Opening the gate
For safety reasons the gate should
always open inwards
Height
The ideal height for security reasons is
2.4 metres. It is recommended that the
minimum heights you should use is 2
metres.
Hinges
The hinges should not provide
footholds and should be designed so
that the gate cannot be lifted out of its
hinges.
The lock should ‘slam to lock’. This is
known technically as an automatic
deadlocking mortice latch. Ordinary
mortice deadlocks can be left unlocked,
and ordinary padlocks that are not built
into the gates can go missing, which both
makes your alleyway insecure and means
the gate is constantly banging against your
or one of your neighbour’s walls.
Self-closing gates are not a good idea
because they can cause problems when
people are trying to take in wheelbarrows
or bicycles, or when bulky items are being
delivered.
Sections
Value for money
The gate’s sections should use a
minimum 3mm thick steel. For taller or
wider gates you should consider
increasing this to 4mm
You and your neighbours will be looking
for value for money. Make sure you get at
least three quotes for the work. You
should provide manufacturers with the
same specification so that you can
compare like-for-like when you get your
quotations. Your alley gating
representative will be able to help you
draw up a specification and give you
advice on where the gate or gates should
be.
The bottom of the gate
The gap at the bottom of the gate
should be small enough to prevent
anyone from crawling underneath.
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Strength and ease of
maintenance
Steel that has been galvanised against
rusting is the best material for a gate. It
will be more difficult for criminals to
penetrate and the long term
maintenance will be minimal.
Keys
At least 2 keys per household will be
required. You will need to remember to
order enough keys for everyone in your
street plus spares.
There are various types of gates (see Appendix B) that you can use depending
on your own preferences but it should be noted that the costs of the gates will be
the responsibility of you and your neighbours. As a rough guide the gates could
cost between £1000 and £2000. It maybe possible to use a cheaper gate but this
will reduce the security of the gate and may mean there will be more
maintenance. You will need to discuss this option carefully with your alley gating
representative.
Step 6 - Funding
Funding may be available for you to apply for to help fund your gates.
Currently funding for alley gating is being offered by regeneration teams and also
in Burglary hotspot areas. Your alley gating representative will be able to tell you
whether you are eligible for this funding.
If you do not qualify under the above schemes then funding for alley gating is
very limited. You may be able to apply for funding through your community
committee, however, in order to do this you will need to have established a
residents group. Your Alley gating representative will again be able to assist you
in applying for this funding.
Step 7 – Implementation
Once you have secured the funding and steps 2 and 4 are complete you will be
able to order your gates. It normally takes 6 weeks to manufacture the gates and
depending on when the contractor can fit them could be another 2 weeks. You
will be able to use this time to distribute keys to your neighbours.
You will need to distribute at least 2 keys to each neighbour. It is recommended
that when doing this you ask them to sign a key agreement (see Appendix C as
an example). This will ensure residents are aware of their responsibilities in
locking the gates and not handing keys out to anyone not in their household. You
could use this opportunity to start a maintenance fund. In previous schemes
residents have been charged a fee (Perhaps £10 - £20) for their keys. This
money has then been held by the resident’s association and goes towards any
maintenance of the gates. If residents haven’t paid they haven’t received keys. If
you were to pursue this route though you will need to ensure that residents
without keys can still put their bins out on the appropriate day.
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You can arrange a meeting with your alley gating representative to discuss
different ways to organise this.
Step 8 – Alley way improvements
Once the gates are up you may wish to make improvements to your alley way.
Depending on your own preferences and the size of the alley you may want to
put benches in the alleys, planters or create an area for children. Whatever you
decide you may be able to apply for funding to assist you with this. Again your
alley gating representative will be able to assist you with this.
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Appendix A - Salford City Council Resident Consultation
Proposed Alley gating Scheme at ___________________________________________
Name:
_____________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________
_____________________________________________
Owner Occupier / Tenant / Absent Owner / Other ________________________________ (details)
(please circle)
If you are not the owner of the property, can you please provide us with details of the owner or
managing agent so that we can contact them:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Crime Around your Property
Have you experienced any burglaries / attempted burglaries via the rear of your
property?
YES / NO
Do you think there is a problem in the area with people using the alleys for
Criminal purposes?
YES / NO
Anti-social purposes?
YES / NO
Fly Tipping?
YES / NO
In your opinion do you think that the existence of the highway is facilitating the
YES / NO
persistent commission of criminal offences?
If Yes, please describe ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Would putting gates on the alleys increase your sense of security?
YES / NO
How important would you say the need is for gates on the alleys?
Not Required / Not sure / Important / Very important
(please circle)
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Installation of Alley gates
I am in agreement to the installation of security gates onto the alleyways at the
rear / side of my property and agree to all the necessary legal orders that may be
made as a result of this scheme.
YES / NO
If applicable, I agree to the gates being attached to my property
YES / NO
I understand that once these gates are erected I will be a joint owner of the gates and my
responsibilities will include,
Ensuring the gates are closed and locked at all times
YES / NO
To participate in and contribute to arrangements for key holding, care and
maintenance of the gates and alley way.
YES / NO
To ensure that the alley to the rear of my property is kept free from any
permanent obstruction, and that I will ensure free access along the alley outside
my property to other residents.
YES / NO
To give permission to any statutory undertakers, responsible for any services
that may be located in the alley way, free access along the alley outside my
property.
YES / NO
Not to give out keys to persons outside my immediate household, and that I
will be liable to pay the reasonable costs incurred if I require a replacement key.
YES / NO
In order to continue the scheme a residents association will have to be established to take responsibility
for the gates. Could you please indicate if you would be willing to take part in this residents association
Yes
No
Name
Daytime contact number
E-mail Address
Please use the space on the reverse of this form for any additional comments that you may have.
I hereby agree to all conditions within this document and agree that all information I have provided is
correct to my knowledge
Name
Signed
Date
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Appendix C - Key Holding Agreement
Name (Print)
(Signature)
Property Owners Address
Postcode
Tel No
In accepting the key to the alley to the side of ?? and ?? and to the rear of ?? I agree: 1.
Not to obstruct the alley.
2.
Not to release the key to those outside my immediate household.
3.
Not to wedge open the gates and to ensure the gates are closed after use.
4.
To hand in the key to a nominated key holder (name & address of volunteer) when
selling the property.
5.
Not to let unauthorised people into the alley.
6.
Not to litter or allow dogs to foul the alley.
7.
All other residents residing on this block are guaranteed free access along the alley
directly outside my property.
8.
I also authorise ALL STATUTORY SERVICE PROVIDERS including: - all utility
companies etc, their contractors, agents and any other authorised persons to take
access over the passageway at ALL TIMES for the purpose of carrying out their
statutory undertakings.
9.
To pay £?? per annum into a holding account held in trust by the Residents
Association for the purpose of the future maintenance and insurance of the gates.
All other information contained within this questionnaire is protected by the Data Protection Act
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