How much does a front garden driveway cost in Tyne and Wear?
For Tyne and Wear, our guide is £75–£125 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² double drive is likely to be £3,850–£6,300. 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 | £75–£125 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £9–£35 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £18–£45 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £320–£900 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £900–£2,700 |
Guide figures for the North East, checked 9 November 2026.
Towns we cover in Tyne and Wear
Choose a town for local prices and details for front garden drives:
- Newcastle upon Tyne
- Sunderland
- South Shields
- Washington
- Tynemouth
- Wallsend
- Newburn
- Whitley Bay
- Houghton-le-Spring
- Felling
- Jarrow
- Gosforth
- Hebburn
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.
Former colliery ground and clay soils occur across the North East, so the survey checks for soft spots before the sub-base depth is set.
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
- 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
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
Rules for front drives in Tyne and Wear
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
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.
Front garden drives in Tyne and Wear: questions
Do I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in Tyne and Wear?
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.
Do you cover Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland and South Shields?
Yes. We cover all of Tyne and Wear, including Newcastle upon Tyne, Sunderland and South Shields.
Is the survey in Tyne and Wear 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.
