Driveways in Shirley

What should you know before starting in Shirley?

A new front driveway in Shirley 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 Solihull Council, as the highway authority.

Planning permission is usually needed for a new access onto a classified road.
Paving more than 5 m² of front garden needs planning permission unless the surface is permeable or drains to your own land.
Resin-bound surfacing is only permeable when it's laid on a permeable base.

Postcode district: B90
Planning and building control: Solihull Council
From our West Bromwich base: 10 miles

Which option fits your home?

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.

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.

Driveways prices in Shirley

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.

Questions about driveways in Shirley

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 Shirley do you work in?

We cover B90 and the streets around them. If you're on the edge of Shirley, neighbouring Hall Green and Olton are covered too.

What guarantee comes with a new driveway?

The materials, such as blocks, resin and drainage channels, come with their manufacturers' guarantees, and the terms for your driveway are set out in your quote. How long a driveway stays level depends largely on the sub-base, so we name its depth and type in your specification. Keep your quote and paperwork with your house documents.

Will I need permission from the council in Shirley?

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.

Close to Shirley

Other home improvements in Shirley

Email sales@skjhomeimprovements.co.uk with your address in Shirley and roughly how many cars you need to park.