Planning a block paved driveway in Rushden
In Rushden, many front gardens have already been paved once, so new paving often starts with breaking out the old surface.
Block drives laid twenty or thirty years ago are often ready for re-laying rather than replacing, because sound blocks outlast a weak base.
How much does a block paved driveway cost in Rushden?
For Rushden, our guide is £85–£140 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is likely to be £4,250–£7,000. Smaller jobs cost more per square metre because set-up and waste costs do not shrink with the area.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Concrete block driveway, new sub-base | £85–£140 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £10–£40 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£50 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £350–£1,000 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,000–£3,000 |
Guide figures for the East Midlands, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What is included?
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.
- Kiln-dried sand brushed in and the surface vibrated with a plate compactor
- Crushed-stone sub-base laid in layers and compacted
- Cuts at edges, around covers and against the house
- Blocks laid in your chosen pattern, with a contrasting border if wanted
- Sharp-sand laying course screeded to falls
What we check on a Rushden survey
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Trees and roots near the drive
Rules for front drives in Rushden
Rushden 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.
How it works
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.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
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.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Block paved driveways in Rushden: questions
Do I need planning permission for a block paved driveway in Rushden?
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.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Rushden?
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.
How long does a block paved driveway take to build?
Most homes take between three and seven working days, depending on size, the dig and the drainage. Your quote gives the expected duration.
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.
Block paved driveways near Rushden
Nearby towns we cover for block paved driveways, and block paved driveways across Northamptonshire:
- Block paved driveways in Wellingborough
- Block paved driveways in Kettering
- Block paved driveways in Northampton
- Block paved driveways in Corby
- Block paved driveways in Market Harborough
- Block paved driveways in Daventry
