Permeable block paving in Cirencester: the local picture
Cirencester 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 Cirencester?
For Cirencester, 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 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
- Geotextile layer where the design needs one
- Edge restraints and any overflow or outlet the design needs
- Grit laying course and permeable blocks with grit-filled joints
- Ground check: how well the soil drains and how high the water table sits
Before we price your permeable block drive
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Levels against the damp-proof course (the finished paving must sit at least 150 mm below it)
- Steps, thresholds and door heights
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
Rules for front drives in Cirencester
Cirencester 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
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.
How we work
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.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Permeable paving in Cirencester: questions
How much does a permeable block drive cost in Cirencester?
Our guide for Cirencester is £105–£170 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is usually about £5,250–£8,500. Your fixed price follows the survey.
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.
Can you match the blocks to my house in Cirencester?
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 Stroud, Cheltenham and Gloucester?
Yes. We cover Cirencester and the places around it, including Stroud, Cheltenham and Gloucester, and the rest of Gloucestershire.
Permeable paving near Cirencester
Nearby towns we cover for permeable paving, and permeable paving across Gloucestershire:
- Permeable paving in Stroud
- Permeable paving in Cheltenham
- Permeable paving in Gloucester
- Permeable paving in Tewkesbury
- Permeable paving in Yate
