Driveways in Lye

What should you know before starting in Lye?

Two approvals can apply to a driveway in Lye: 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 Dudley Council. We design around both.

Before you drive across the pavement, you need the highway authority's consent for a dropped kerb.
Planning permission is usually needed for a new access onto a classified road.
Permeable surfaces in Lye help reduce surface water running onto the road.

Postcode district: DY9
Planning and building control: Dudley Council
From our West Bromwich base: 7 miles

Which option fits your home?

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.

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.

Guide prices for Lye

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. We confirm a fixed price for the agreed specification after visiting.

Before you book in Lye

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 Lye do you work in?

We cover DY9 and the streets around them. If you're on the edge of Lye, neighbouring Stourbridge and Amblecote 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.

Will I need permission from the council in Lye?

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

Nearby places we cover

Other home improvements in Lye

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