Planning a front garden driveway in St Austell
In and around St Austell, village-style frontages sit alongside newer cul-de-sacs, so the right block often depends on the age of the house.
Sloping plots are common in the South West, which affects edging, steps and where the water runs.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in St Austell?
Most front garden driveway quotes in the South West fall within £85–£140 per m² including VAT. A 50 m² double drive would usually be about £4,250–£7,000, with any extras listed separately on your quote.
| 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 South West, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What is included?
We check those three things before anything else. A typical small front garden needs the boundary wall or hedge opened, the ground dug out, a sub-base built and the surface laid so rain drains into a planted strip or through permeable blocks. Keeping a narrow planted border is often what makes the drainage work.
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
Before we price your front garden driveway
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
Planning and kerb rules in St Austell
St Austell 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
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
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.
Front garden drives in St Austell: questions
Do you cover Truro, Newquay and Falmouth?
Yes. We cover St Austell and the places around it, including Truro, Newquay and Falmouth, and the rest of Cornwall.
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 St Austell 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 long does a front garden 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.
Front garden drives near St Austell
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Cornwall:
- Front garden drives in Truro
- Front garden drives in Newquay
- Front garden drives in Falmouth
- Front garden drives in Redruth
- Front garden drives in Camborne
