Driveways in Alcester

Driveways in Alcester: approvals and local details

For driveways in Alcester, the rules that matter are drainage and access. Permeable paving or a soakaway avoids a planning application, and any change to the kerb goes through Warwickshire County Council.

A driveway should finish well below the damp-proof course of the house.
Before you drive across the pavement, you need the highway authority's consent for a dropped kerb.
Resin-bound surfacing is only permeable when it's laid on a permeable base.

Postcode district: B49
Planning and building control: Stratford-on-Avon District Council
From our West Bromwich base: 22 miles

Which options suit homes in Alcester?

Permeable block paving

Blocks with wider joints filled with grit, laid on an open-graded stone sub-base that stores rainwater and lets it soak into the ground. Permeable paving meets the front garden rules without planning permission. It costs a little more because of the deeper, specially graded sub-base, and it suits clay soils only with extra design.

Tarmac

Hot-laid asphalt over a compacted sub-base, finished with a roller and edged with kerbs or setts. Tarmac is quick to lay and good value for larger areas. Standard tarmac is impermeable, so on a front garden it needs to drain to a soakaway or border, or use a porous asphalt mix.

What does your driveway cost in Alcester?

For a home in Alcester, our guide range is £2,200–£12,000 depending on size and specification. Block paving driveway of about 45 m² for two cars, with dig-out, sub-base, edging and drainage: usually £5,000–£7,200.

Guide prices for driveways
Option	Guide price	Good to know
Gravel or tarmac driveway	£2,200 – £4,800	About 40 m², new sub-base and edging
Block paving driveway	£4,500 – £7,500	About 40–50 m², with drainage or permeable build
Resin-bound driveway	£5,000 – £8,500	About 40–50 m², on a permeable base

Guide ranges include VAT where it applies. We confirm a fixed price for the agreed specification after visiting.

Your questions answered

Which driveway surface is best?

It depends on budget, looks and drainage. Block paving is hard-wearing and repairable; resin-bound is smooth, tidy and permeable on the right base; tarmac is good value for larger areas; gravel is the cheapest and drains naturally. A permeable option avoids the need for planning permission on a front garden. We'll show you samples at survey.

Do you cover Alcester?

Yes. Alcester (B49) is about 22 miles from our West Bromwich base and inside the area we cover. Call 0800 088 6248 or send the form on this page to book a free survey.

What should I sort out before the work starts?

If you need a dropped kerb, apply to the council early, because it can take weeks. Move cars, bins and pots off the area, and let neighbours know about the skip and noise. If you know where drains, cables, gas pipes or outside taps run, tell us at survey.

Does Stratford-on-Avon District Council need to approve my driveway?

Only for a new or widened dropped kerb, which needs consent from Warwickshire County Council, or for a non-permeable surface over 5 m² that drains to the road, which needs planning permission from Stratford-on-Avon District Council.

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We'll give you a written, itemised driveway quote for your Alcester home, fixed for the agreed specification.