Driveways in Knowle

Planning your driveway in Knowle

Two approvals can apply to a driveway in Knowle: planning permission, if more than 5 m² of front garden is covered with a non-permeable surface that drains to the road, and dropped-kerb consent from Solihull Council. We design around both.

Before you drive across the pavement, you need the highway authority's consent for a dropped kerb.
Fresh tarmac and resin need time to harden before cars drive on them.
Resin-bound surfacing is only permeable when it's laid on a permeable base.

Postcode district: B93
Planning and building control: Solihull Council
From our West Bromwich base: 14 miles

Options to consider in Knowle

Block paving

Concrete blocks laid in a pattern on a sand bed over a compacted stone sub-base, held in by edging kerbs. Blocks come in many colours and sizes, and single blocks can be lifted and relaid if a drain needs work. Standard block paving needs drainage planning, because the sand joints alone don't usually let enough water through.

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.

Driveways prices in Knowle

Guide prices start at £2,200 and run to £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: around £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. A free survey turns this guide into a fixed, itemised price.

Your questions answered

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.

Which postcodes in Knowle do you work in?

We cover B93 and the streets around them. If you're on the edge of Knowle, neighbouring Dorridge and Balsall Common are covered too.

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.

Who approves driveways in Knowle?

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

Also covering nearby

Other home improvements in Knowle

Levels, drainage and the kerb all get checked before we quote, so book a free driveway survey in Knowle.