Permeable block paving in Portrush: the local picture
Portrush 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.
Wet winters in Northern Ireland make falls, edge restraints and full joints especially important.
How much does a permeable block drive cost in Portrush?
Guide price in Portrush: £100–£160 per m² including VAT, which puts a 50 m² drive at about £5,000–£8,100. These are Northern Ireland guide figures; the survey confirms the real price before you commit.
| Item | Guide price inc VAT |
|---|---|
| Permeable block paving driveway | £100–£160 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £9.50–£40 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £19–£50 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £330–£950 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £950–£2,850 |
Guide figures for Northern Ireland, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What does a permeable block drive involve?
Permeable block paving is block paving built so that rainwater drains down through the joints into a deep, open-graded stone sub-base, where it is stored and soaks away slowly into the ground or is piped off. The blocks have small spacers or wider joints filled with fine grit instead of sand.
- 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
- Edge restraints and any overflow or outlet the design needs
- Geotextile layer where the design needs one
What we check on a Portrush survey
- The kerb: is it already dropped, and is it wide enough?
- Whether front-garden planning rules apply
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
Rules for front drives in Portrush
Portrush is in Northern Ireland, so these rules apply:
In Northern Ireland, a hard surface between the front of the house and the road that covers or replaces more than 5 m² must be porous or permeable, or drain to a permeable area within the property, to be permitted development.
Hard surfaces within the grounds of a listed building need listed building consent. Planning is handled by your district council, so check with its planning office if you are unsure.
Dropped kerbs in Northern Ireland are approved by DfI Roads (the Department for Infrastructure), not the council; check planning separately with the council.
General guidance, not legal advice. Your survey confirms what applies to your home. See the planning guide.
From enquiry to finished paving
Quick details
Your postcode and the job. It takes a minute.
On-site check
Measurements, levels against the damp-proof course, ground and drainage.
Itemised quote
Fixed once the specification is agreed, with no vague extras.
Laid and finished
Compacted, jointed and handed back clean.
What you can expect from us
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.
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.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Permeable paving in Portrush: questions
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 I need planning permission for a permeable block drive in Portrush?
In Northern Ireland, front paving over 5 m² must be porous or drain within your boundary to be permitted development. Ask us on the survey if you are unsure.
How much does a permeable block drive cost in Portrush?
Our guide for Portrush is £100–£160 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is usually about £5,000–£8,100. Your fixed price follows the survey.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Portrush?
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.
Permeable paving near Portrush
Nearby towns we cover for permeable paving, and permeable paving across County Londonderry:
- Permeable paving in Portstewart
- Permeable paving in Coleraine
- Permeable paving in Limavady
- Permeable paving in Ballymoney
