What to know before a front garden driveway in Market Harborough
Market Harborough 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.
Block drives laid twenty or thirty years ago are often ready for re-laying rather than replacing, because sound blocks outlast a weak base.
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Market Harborough?
Most front garden driveway quotes in the East Midlands 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 East Midlands, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What you get with our front garden drives service
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.
- Permeable blocks or falls to a planted border
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
What we check on a Market Harborough survey
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
Rules for front drives in Market Harborough
Market Harborough 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.
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.
Why choose Block Paving Contractors
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
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.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Front garden drives in Market Harborough: questions
Do I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in Market Harborough?
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 Market Harborough?
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.
Is the survey in Market Harborough 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 much does a front garden driveway cost in Market Harborough?
Our guide for Market Harborough is £85–£140 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is usually about £4,250–£7,000. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Front garden drives near Market Harborough
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across Northamptonshire:
- Front garden drives in Corby
- Front garden drives in Kettering
- Front garden drives in Wellingborough
- Front garden drives in Northampton
- Front garden drives in Daventry
- Front garden drives in Rushden
