How much does a front garden driveway cost in Cheshire?
For Cheshire, 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 North West, checked 9 November 2026.
Towns we cover in Cheshire
Choose a town for local prices and details for front garden drives:
- Warrington
- Chester
- Crewe
- Ellesmere Port
- Widnes
- Runcorn
- Macclesfield
- Northwich
- Winsford
- Congleton
- Wilmslow
- Newton-le-Willows
What is included?
A front garden conversion turns a lawn or small front garden into off-street parking. For terraces and semis without a drive, it is often the single most useful change to the house, but it only works if a car fits, the water has somewhere to go and the council will drop the kerb.
The North West is one of the wetter parts of England, so falls, channel drains and permeable options matter more than usual.
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
What the survey covers
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
Rules for front drives in Cheshire
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
Tell us about the job
Use the form, the quote tool, WhatsApp or a call.
We take a look
A survey visit, or photos for smaller repair and cleaning jobs.
Price in writing
Every line itemised, including the dig, edging and drainage.
Booked and built
Agreed start date, then the work, the final clean-down and the joint top-up.
Front garden drives in Cheshire: questions
Do you cover Warrington, Chester and Crewe?
Yes. We cover all of Cheshire, including Warrington, Chester and Crewe.
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.
Do I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in Cheshire?
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 Cheshire?
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.
