Driveways in Solihull

Planning your driveway in Solihull

A new front driveway in Solihull 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.

Fresh tarmac and resin need time to harden before cars drive on them.
Permeable surfaces in Solihull help reduce surface water running onto the road.
Before you drive across the pavement, you need the highway authority's consent for a dropped kerb.

Postcode district: B91
Planning and building control: Solihull Council
From our West Bromwich base: About 12 miles to the centre

Choices to weigh up in Solihull

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.

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.

How much should you budget in Solihull?

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. Access, parking and the state of what's there now can move the price — the survey settles it.

Your questions answered

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.

How do I book a survey in Solihull?

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.

Will I be able to park while the work is going on?

Not on the driveway itself for most of the job, so you'll need to park on the street or nearby. We'll need space for a skip or grab lorry and material deliveries, and we'll agree that with you in advance. We keep a safe path to your front door throughout.

Who approves driveways in Solihull?

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.

Driveways across Solihull

We cover every town and district below:

Also covering nearby

Other home improvements in Solihull

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