Driveways in Smethwick

Before your driveway in Smethwick

A new front driveway in Smethwick 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 Sandwell Council, as the highway authority.

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

Postcode district: B66
Planning and building control: Sandwell Council
From our West Bromwich base: 2 miles

Options to consider in Smethwick

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.

Gravel with ground grids

Gravel laid over plastic ground grids on a membrane and compacted sub-base. The grids stop the gravel moving into ruts, and the whole surface drains naturally, so it meets the front garden rules. Gravel is the most affordable surface, though it needs occasional raking and topping up, and it's less practical for wheelchairs and pushchairs.

What does your driveway cost in Smethwick?

Expect to budget between £2,200 and £12,000 depending on size and specification in Smethwick. Block paving driveway of about 45 m² for two cars, with dig-out, sub-base, edging and drainage: typically £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. Your fixed price for the agreed specification follows a free survey at your Smethwick address.

Questions about driveways in Smethwick

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.

How do I book a survey in Smethwick?

Send the form on this page, use the guide-price tool or call 0800 088 6248 free. We'll ask a few questions about your driveway and arrange a time to visit.

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 Sandwell Council need to approve my driveway?

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

Also covering nearby

Other work we do in Smethwick

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