Planning a front garden driveway in Rottingdean
Rottingdean is a smaller town, and many of its homes have more frontage to work with than city houses, which leaves room for borders and planting.
Planning-sensitive towns and conservation areas are common in the South East, so we check the front-garden rules before quoting.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Rottingdean?
In the South East, a front garden driveway usually costs £90–£150 per m² including VAT. For a 50 m² double drive, that is roughly £4,600–£7,550. 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 | £90–£150 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £11–£45 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £20–£55 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £380–£1,100 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,100–£3,250 |
Guide figures for the South East, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What does a front garden driveway involve?
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
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
What we check on a Rottingdean survey
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
Planning and kerb rules in Rottingdean
Rottingdean 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.
What happens next
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
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.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Front garden drives in Rottingdean: questions
Is the survey in Rottingdean 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.
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 Rottingdean?
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.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Rottingdean?
Our guide for Rottingdean is £90–£150 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is usually about £4,600–£7,550. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Front garden drives near Rottingdean
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across East Sussex:
- Front garden drives in Brighton
- Front garden drives in Hove
- Front garden drives in Portslade
- Front garden drives in Seaford
- Front garden drives in Hailsham
- Front garden drives in Eastbourne
