Do I Need Planning Permission?

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Planning permission from Wiltshire Council is required for some driveway and dropped kerb projects.

Driveways

In most instances, approval isn’t needed for a new driveway. However, as of October 2008 the Ministry of Housing introduced new legislation decreeing:

“Hard surfacing of more than 5 square metres of domestic front gardens permitted development only where the surface in question is rendered permeable.”

As a result, we ensure new driveways exceeding 5m2 are permitted or have adequate drainage. Permission is usually not needed for installing permeable surfaces.

Dropped Kerbs

The Driveway Services team fulfil all contracts with the necessary insurance and by following legislation set out in The Highways Act of 1980. For some jobs, it’s necessary to reach out to Wiltshire Council for planning permission. Planners want to ensure your installation has disabled access, drainage, full visibility to and of oncoming traffic.

This may include classified roads, bus routes, your proximity to local schools and hospitals. Done correctly, a dropped kerb can enhance the marketability of your home.

General Landscaping

Some general landscaping jobs require planning permission too.

The maximum legal height of a fence, for example, is 6.6. Any homeowner wishing to exceed this will need to contact their local authority.

Whether you need driveways or dropped kerbs in Wiltshire, we’ll help you navigate the regulatory hurdles and ensure the process goes smoothly.

2024 Price Guide

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Driveway Pricing Guide

At Wiltshire Driveway Services we pride ourselves on offering outstanding VFM solutions for our clients. Many clients inquire about pricing. Every job varies based on access, materials and difficulty. However, we can offer some general price points based on the industry in the UK.

In addition to quizzing our teams vast experience in the industry, we’ve aggregated data from various consumer websites, including HomeAdviceGuide.com, to bring you this rough price guide.

Block Paving Cost

Block paving is the most variable price point we’ll discuss here. As you may know, there are different brands available including Marshalls, Bradstone and Tobermore or just basic brick options. Further, costs will rise significantly if you require excavation. We estimate a typical 50m2 paved driveway will vary between £3000 to £5000. Our block paving page features different options.

Tarmac Cost

If you’re looking for a more affordable option, tarmac may be for you. Tarmac, or asphalt as our American cousin’s know it, is a durable all purpose material, suited to drives, paths and roads. While costs will vary depending on the amount of excavation required, a 50m2 tarmac driveway will cost in the region of £3000.

Concrete Cost

Many clients inquire about concrete. Popular and arguably the most durable material, a concrete drive can last up to 40 years if adequately installed. Concrete is versatile, available in a range of colours and pattern stamped designs. A standard 50m2 concrete driveway will cost between £1500 to £2500.

Gravel Cost

Gravel is the cheapest driveway option. A 50m2 driveway will cost you up to £1000-£1500. But what are the downsides? While price is the biggest selling point of this material, maintenance and lack of weather tolerance are issues you’ll need to contend with. Winter, in particular, can be challenging for homeowners.

As ever, be wary of contractors who offer you cheap prices. These prices may be based on a contractor who is taking short cuts or using poor materials. A good driveway should endure for a generation.

Please reach out to us with your driveway inquiry. We’ll discuss the specifics and walk you through options to suit your budget.

A Beginner’s Guide On How To Improve The Drainage Of Your Driveway

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Heavy rains, floods, burst water pipes – Any one of these situations will generally result in the same situation: water damage. Water damage can cause serious damage to your home, garden, and yes, your driveway. This article will outline steps you can take to combat this problem and improve drainage on your drive.

1. Channel The Water Into A Drainage Channel

Typically, there are two methods to improve the drainage of a driveway — The first involves channeling the water. To achieve this, it is necessary to complete two specific alterations to the driveway. Firstly, a purpose-built drainage channel must be put in place in order to catch the water running off the driveway. Secondly, a gradient must be added to the driveway in order to guide the water towards the drainage channel.

This may seem rather complex, but it is very simple. The gradient does not need to be very great and a gentle slope is suitable – basically, enough to allow for the water to run down away from the driveway. The drainage channel is purpose-built, but it does not require too much attention as these drains can be purposed at hardware stores or online.

2. Have A Permeable Driveway

The second method to improve the drainage of a driveway is a permeable driveway surface; this means that the water will be absorbed instead of lying in pools on the driveway surface. The most common type of permeable material is gravel and gravel driveways are very popular due to the resilience. Of course, gravel does have problems, such as tire puncturing, and block paving can appear appealing making it fortunate that permeable block paving is available. This is beneficial, but it is also very expensive. It is recommended that costs be considered before making an overall decision on the driveway surface material.

Final Words On The Matter

As outlined above, there are different methods to improving the drainage on a driveway negating the need for professional assistance. By using the information above, you can make an informed decision as to which method is best for your specific restoration and improvement needs. Please contact us with any questions or click the following link to learn more about driveway materials. 

Asphalt vs Concrete Driveways

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Selecting the right materials for your driveway is vital. Climate, budget and aesthetics may factor in your final choice. When you’re set to install your new driveway, you’ll discover the two most popular materials are asphalt and concrete. 

As you are looking around for the best choice to fit in with your needs, you will also see that there are other materials that are available to you for your driveway besides asphalt and concrete. Gravel is a low end choice while brick and other types of materials will be more of the higher end. However, asphalt and concrete are far more common and each kind comes with their own distinct advantages and disadvantages.

Asphalt

Asphalt is going to be a bit more limited when it comes to the use, simply because it has to be rolled and fully compressed. You do not have many options to choose from if you are thinking that you want to have any sort of unique finish and the standard color is still a more popular black. However, there are newer options coming out today where you can add tints in at the end of installation with a sealant or even adding in some different colors during the mixing process.

Concrete

Concrete is known as an easier material than asphalt to work with if you are looking to come up with a different finish. You can also work to stain or tint your concrete to match up with any sort of color that you are looking for. You can even mix and match up the colors so that you can get a unique pattern in one single driveway. Depending on what you are looking for, you can also stamp, engrave or etch your concrete to give a different design and you may even have the option of brush or exposed aggregate. Each of these options are what will make some homeowners lead to the use of concrete over asphalt.

Overall, you are going to find that climate is going to play a major role in whether or not you can successfully use concrete or asphalt. If you happen to live in an area that has a really cold winter or very warm summer, concrete will usually start to crack and become damaged due to the frost heaves in winter. Additionally, ice melting during the winter can cause a great deal of pitting or blotches in the concrete.

Alternatively, when you have asphalt in an area that is a super hot climate, the surface can become soft in high temperatures as the tar within heats up. Whether you need a driveway in Wiltshire or beyond, you will always find that working with a professional contractor and getting advice will be the best way to decide what is going to be best for your home and a new driveway.