Planning a permeable block drive in St Austell
St Austell 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.
The South West is wetter than the east of England, so falls and drainage are planned before the pattern is chosen.
How much does a permeable block drive cost in St Austell?
For St Austell, our guide is £105–£170 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is likely to be £5,250–£8,500. Smaller jobs cost more per square metre because set-up and waste costs do not shrink with the area.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Permeable block paving driveway | £105–£170 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 South West, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What you get with our permeable paving service
It is the straightforward way to pave a front garden without sending rain into the road, which matters because in England a non-permeable front surface over 5 m² that does not drain to a permeable area within the property needs planning permission, and in Wales any new front surface must be permeable or drain within the property. The build is different from a standard drive from the ground up, so it has to be designed as permeable rather than just using different blocks.
- Deeper dig-out for the open-graded sub-base
- Grit laying course and permeable blocks with grit-filled joints
- Ground check: how well the soil drains and how high the water table sits
- Open-graded crushed stone (no fines) laid and compacted in layers
- Edge restraints and any overflow or outlet the design needs
What we check on a St Austell survey
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
Planning and kerb rules in St Austell
St Austell 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.
From enquiry to finished paving
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.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Itemised quotes
Break-out, waste, edging, drainage and covers are separate lines you can see.
Permeable paving in St Austell: questions
Can you match the blocks to my house in St Austell?
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.
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 you cover Truro, Newquay and Falmouth?
Yes. We cover St Austell and the places around it, including Truro, Newquay and Falmouth, and the rest of Cornwall.
Is the survey in St Austell 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.
Permeable paving near St Austell
Nearby towns we cover for permeable paving, and permeable paving across Cornwall:
- Permeable paving in Truro
- Permeable paving in Newquay
- Permeable paving in Falmouth
- Permeable paving in Redruth
- Permeable paving in Camborne
