Planning a block paved driveway in Blackwood
Around Blackwood, plots are often larger and drives longer, so edging, falls and the route the water takes need planning.
Hilly streets in much of Wales mean many drives slope, which shapes the falls, the edging and the water route.
How much does a block paved driveway cost in Blackwood?
In Wales, a block paved driveway usually costs £80–£130 per m² including VAT. For a 50 m² double drive, that is roughly £3,950–£6,500. Your exact price depends on what the survey or your photos show, and is fixed in writing before anything is booked.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Concrete block driveway, new sub-base | £80–£130 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £9.50–£35 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £19–£45 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £330–£930 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £930–£2,800 |
Guide figures for Wales, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What does a block paved driveway involve?
We build block drives for homeowners from scratch: digging out the old surface, setting edge restraints in concrete, building and compacting the sub-base, screeding the laying course, laying the pattern, cutting in the edges and vibrating the blocks into the sand. Every quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness, the edging, the falls and where the water goes.
- Sharp-sand laying course screeded to falls
- Survey, measurements and a written, itemised quote
- Crushed-stone sub-base laid in layers and compacted
- Cuts at edges, around covers and against the house
- Removal of the old surface and soil to the agreed depth, with waste taken away
What we check on a Blackwood survey
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
- Trees and roots near the drive
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
Do you need permission in Blackwood?
Blackwood is in Wales, so these rules apply:
In Wales, any new or replacement hard surface at the front of a house should be permeable or drain to a permeable area within the property to avoid needing planning permission. Unlike England, there is no 5 m² allowance for new paving; only repairs of up to 5 m² of existing surface are exempt.
Since January 2019, construction work covering 100 m² or more with drainage implications, including drives and patios, needs approval from the local SuDS Approving Body (SAB) before work starts, even where planning permission is not needed.
A dropped kerb needs your council's approval as highway authority, and a new access onto a classified road needs planning permission.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.
How it works
Quick details
Your postcode and the job. It takes a minute.
On-site check
Measurements, levels against the damp-proof course, ground and drainage.
Itemised quote
Fixed once the specification is agreed, with no vague extras.
Laid and finished
Compacted, jointed and handed back clean.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Block paved driveways in Blackwood: 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.
Is the survey in Blackwood free?
Yes, for new paving here: the survey and written quote are free with no obligation. Repairs and cleaning are usually priced from photos, or from a short visit where needed.
How much does a block paved driveway cost in Blackwood?
Our guide for Blackwood is £80–£130 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is usually about £3,950–£6,500. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Blackwood?
We bring samples to the survey and suggest blocks and borders that suit the age and brick of the house. Final colour is your choice.
Block paved driveways near Blackwood
Nearby towns we cover for block paved driveways, and block paved driveways across Gwent:
- Block paved driveways in Bargoed
- Block paved driveways in Abercarn
- Block paved driveways in Abertillery
- Block paved driveways in Risca
- Block paved driveways in Caerphilly
- Block paved driveways in Pontypool
