Planning a block paved driveway in Beckenham
Across Beckenham, front gardens range from narrow terrace plots to broad modern drives, and the best block, pattern and drainage choice changes with them.
Front gardens in much of London are short, so parking depth and the dropped kerb usually decide whether a drive is possible.
How much does a block paved driveway cost in Beckenham?
Guide price in Beckenham: £100–£170 per m² including VAT, which puts a 50 m² double drive at about £5,100–£8,400. These are London guide figures; the survey confirms the real price before you commit.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Concrete block driveway, new sub-base | £100–£170 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £12–£50 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £25–£60 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £420–£1,200 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,200–£3,600 |
Guide figures for London, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What you get with our block paved driveways service
A block paved driveway is a surface of small concrete or clay blocks laid tightly on a bed of sharp sand, held in by a fixed edge and locked together with kiln-dried jointing sand. Laid on a properly dug and compacted sub-base, it carries cars for decades, and a single damaged block can be lifted and replaced without breaking the surface.
- Survey, measurements and a written, itemised quote
- Edge restraints or kerbs bedded and haunched in concrete
- Sharp-sand laying course screeded to falls
- Removal of the old surface and soil to the agreed depth, with waste taken away
- Cuts at edges, around covers and against the house
Before we price your block paved driveway
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
Rules for front drives in Beckenham
Beckenham is in England, so these rules apply:
In England, paving in front of the house that covers more than 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn, border or soakaway inside your boundary. Permeable block paving, or standard blocks laid to fall onto a planted strip, avoid the need for permission in most cases.
Flats and maisonettes, listed buildings, and homes covered by an Article 4 direction can have tighter rules, and conservation areas, National Parks and National Landscapes restrict some permitted development.
A dropped kerb needs your local highway authority's approval (usually the county, unitary, metropolitan or London borough council), and a new access onto an A, B or C classified road also needs planning permission.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.
From enquiry to finished paving
Send the basics
Postcode, what you need and a rough size. Photos help.
Survey
We measure, check levels, ground and drainage, and talk through blocks and patterns.
Written quote
An itemised quote with the specification, the price and the start date.
The work
Our paving team builds it to the agreed specification and leaves the site swept.
How we work
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
One point of contact
You deal with one team from survey to sign-off, with work carried out by paving teams working under S&K.
Block paved driveways in Beckenham: questions
What happens to my old drive?
It is broken out and taken away by skip or grab lorry, listed as its own line on your quote.
How much does a block paved driveway cost in Beckenham?
Our guide for Beckenham is £100–£170 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is usually about £5,100–£8,400. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Do you cover Catford, Croydon and South Croydon?
Yes. We cover Beckenham and the places around it, including Catford, Croydon and South Croydon, and the rest of Greater London.
Do I need planning permission for a block paved driveway in Beckenham?
In England, a front drive over 5 m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn or border within your boundary. Ask us on the survey if you are unsure.
Block paved driveways near Beckenham
Nearby towns we cover for block paved driveways, and block paved driveways across Greater London:
- Block paved driveways in Catford
- Block paved driveways in Croydon
- Block paved driveways in South Croydon
- Block paved driveways in Eltham
- Block paved driveways in Streatham
- Block paved driveways in Greenwich
