Front garden to driveway conversions in Canning Town: the local picture
Canning Town is a sizeable town with a mix of semis, terraces and newer estates, and many drives here were first laid decades ago.
Many London streets have controlled parking and narrow frontages, so we measure the car space and the crossover before anything else.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Canning Town?
Guide price in Canning Town: £100–£170 per m² including VAT, which puts a 50 m² double drive at about £5,100–£8,400. These are London guide figures; the survey confirms the real price before you commit.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Concrete block driveway, new sub-base | £100–£170 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £12–£50 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £25–£60 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £420–£1,200 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £1,200–£3,600 |
Guide figures for London, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
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.
- Optional bin store area, planting strip and low edging
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
What the survey covers
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
Planning and kerb rules in Canning Town
Canning Town 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.
How we work
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
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 Canning Town: questions
Can you match the blocks to my house in Canning Town?
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.
Do you cover Stratford, Canary Wharf and Greenwich?
Yes. We cover Canning Town and the places around it, including Stratford, Canary Wharf and Greenwich, and the rest of Greater London.
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.
Do I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in Canning Town?
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.
Front garden drives near Canning Town
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Greater London:
- Front garden drives in Stratford
- Front garden drives in Canary Wharf
- Front garden drives in Greenwich
- Front garden drives in Barking
- Front garden drives in Ilford
- Front garden drives in Leytonstone
