Block Paving Paths & Side Passages | Block Paving Contractors

What does a block paved path involve?

A block paved path is a narrow strip of block paving for walking: a front path, a route round the garden or a side passage to the bins. Paths are where edge restraints matter most, because a narrow strip has a lot of edge and very little middle to hold it.

We set edging both sides in concrete, keep steps and changes of level safe and even, and make sure side passages fall away from the house walls and air bricks. Curves are laid with the blocks cut to follow the line rather than leaving ragged edges.

What is included?

Dig-out and compacted base
Edging both sides, bedded and haunched
Steps formed where levels change
Falls away from walls and to gullies
Blocks, cuts and jointing sand

Which options are there?

Stretcher bond path

Blocks running along or across the path; quick to lay and fine for foot traffic.

Herringbone path

Matches a herringbone drive or patio.

Border-and-field

A contrasting edge course with a lighter centre.

How much does a block paved path cost?

UK guide price£90–£160 per m² inc VATIncluding VAT at 20%

For a 12 m² path in the Midlands, that typically comes to £1,250–£2,200. London and the South East cost more, the North East, Yorkshire and Wales a little less. Smaller jobs cost more per square metre because set-up and waste costs do not shrink with the area.

Region	Guide price inc VAT
London	£110–£190 per m²
South East	£95–£175 per m²
East of England	£95–£170 per m²
South West	£90–£160 per m²
West Midlands	£90–£160 per m²
East Midlands	£90–£160 per m²
North West	£90–£160 per m²
Yorkshire and the Humber	£80–£145 per m²
North East	£80–£145 per m²
Wales	£85–£150 per m²
Scotland	£90–£160 per m²
Northern Ireland	£85–£150 per m²

Guide figures checked 9 November 2026. Your written quote after the survey is the price you pay. See the full price list or try the guide price tool.

Is a block paved path right for you?

Good for

Front paths to match a new drive
Side passages that flood or puddle
Curved garden routes

Think twice if

Very narrow passages with no room for edging (a slab path may suit better)

How does it work?

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.

Do you need permission?

Front-garden paving and dropped kerbs follow different rules in each part of the UK:

Front drive rules in England

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.

Front drive rules in Wales

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.

Front drive rules in Scotland

In Scotland, a hard surface between the house and the road is permitted development only if it is porous or drains to a permeable area within the property. There is no 5 m² threshold: the rule applies whatever the size.

Hard surfaces are not permitted development in a conservation area or within the grounds of a listed building, so planning permission is needed there.

A dropped kerb needs consent from your council as roads authority under section 56 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, and planning permission may also be needed depending on the road.

Front drive rules in Northern Ireland

In Northern Ireland, a hard surface between the front of the house and the road that covers or replaces more than 5 m² must be porous or permeable, or drain to a permeable area within the property, to be permitted development.

Hard surfaces within the grounds of a listed building need listed building consent. Planning is handled by your district council, so check with its planning office if you are unsure.

Dropped kerbs in Northern Ireland are approved by DfI Roads (the Department for Infrastructure), not the council; check planning separately with the council.

Questions about paths

How wide should a garden path be?

Around 900 mm lets one person walk comfortably with a wheelbarrow; 1.2 m or more lets two people walk side by side.

Why do block paving paths spread at the edges?

Usually because the edging was not set in concrete or was missing. Without a fixed edge the blocks creep outwards and the joints open.

Can a path be laid over old slabs?

Rarely well. The old slabs are normally lifted so there is depth for a proper base and laying course.

Where do you offer block paved paths?

We quote block paved paths across the UK. Choose your area for local prices and towns.

Block paved paths and side passages

What does a block paved path involve?

What is included?