Front garden to driveway conversions in Chichester: the local picture
In Chichester, many front gardens have already been paved once, so new paving often starts with breaking out the old surface.
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 Chichester?
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 you get with our front garden drives service
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
- Advice on the dropped kerb application before work starts
- Wall, hedge or fence opening and making good the ends
- Space check: car length, door swing and the gap to the pavement
- Dig-out, sub-base and edging
Before we price your front garden driveway
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Where an electric vehicle charger cable might run
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
Planning and kerb rules in Chichester
Chichester 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.
How we work
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
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.
Front garden drives in Chichester: questions
How much does a front garden driveway cost in Chichester?
Our guide for Chichester 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.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Chichester?
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 Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Worthing?
Yes. We cover Chichester and the places around it, including Bognor Regis, Littlehampton and Worthing, and the rest of West Sussex.
Do I need planning permission for a front garden driveway in Chichester?
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 Chichester
Nearby towns we cover for front garden drives, and front garden drives across West Sussex:
- Front garden drives in Bognor Regis
- Front garden drives in Littlehampton
- Front garden drives in Worthing
- Front garden drives in Havant
- Front garden drives in Waterlooville
