Driveways in Bartley Green

What should you know before starting in Bartley Green?

A new front driveway in Bartley Green usually needs no planning permission if it's permeable or drains onto your own land. A new or widened dropped kerb needs separate consent from Birmingham City Council, as the highway authority.

Before you drive across the pavement, you need the highway authority's consent for a dropped kerb.
A driveway should finish well below the damp-proof course of the house.
Manhole covers can be raised, lowered or swapped for recessed trays to match the new level.

Postcode district: B32
Planning and building control: Birmingham City Council
From our West Bromwich base: 6 miles

Options to consider in Bartley Green

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.

Resin-bound surfacing

Natural aggregate mixed with clear resin and trowelled smooth, giving a tidy, loose-free finish. Resin-bound is permeable only if it's laid on a permeable base such as porous asphalt; laid over solid concrete it isn't. It shouldn't be confused with resin-bonded, where stones are scattered onto a resin coat, which isn't permeable at all.

How much should you budget in Bartley Green?

For a home in Bartley Green, 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. Access, parking and the state of what's there now can move the price — the survey settles it.

Questions about driveways in Bartley Green

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.

Which postcodes in Bartley Green do you work in?

We cover B32 and the streets around them. If you're on the edge of Bartley Green, neighbouring Northfield and Harborne are covered too.

How much does a new driveway cost?

In the West Midlands, a typical 40–50 m² driveway usually costs around £2,200–£4,800 in gravel or tarmac, £4,500–£7,500 in block paving and £5,000–£8,500 in resin-bound, including dig-out, sub-base, edging and drainage. Larger areas, slopes, walls and extra drainage cost more. The council's dropped kerb charges are separate and vary by council.

Who approves driveways in Bartley Green?

Only for a new or widened dropped kerb, which needs consent from Birmingham City Council, or for a non-permeable surface over 5 m² that drains to the road, which needs planning permission from Birmingham City Council.

Driveways near Bartley Green

Other home improvements in Bartley Green

Want to see block, resin and gravel samples side by side? Call 0800 088 6248 and we'll bring them to Bartley Green.