Planning a permeable block drive in Aberkenfig
In and around Aberkenfig, village-style frontages sit alongside newer cul-de-sacs, so the right block often depends on the age of the house.
Wales is wetter than most of England, and new front paving has to be permeable or drain within the property, so drainage is designed in from the start.
How much does a permeable block drive cost in Aberkenfig?
For Aberkenfig, our guide is £100–£160 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is likely to be £4,900–£7,900. 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 | £100–£160 per m² |
| Breaking out an old surface | £9.50–£35 per m² |
| Edging or kerb, bedded and haunched | £19–£45 per metre |
| Typical channel drain run | £330–£930 |
| Dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) construction | £930–£2,800 |
Guide figures for Wales, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What you get with our permeable paving service
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.
- Edge restraints and any overflow or outlet the design needs
- Ground check: how well the soil drains and how high the water table sits
- Deeper dig-out for the open-graded sub-base
- Geotextile layer where the design needs one
- Grit laying course and permeable blocks with grit-filled joints
What the survey covers
- Block range, thickness, colour and pattern to suit the house
- Trees and roots near the drive
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
Planning and kerb rules in Aberkenfig
Aberkenfig is in Wales, so these rules apply:
In Wales, any new or replacement hard surface at the front of a house should be permeable or drain to a permeable area within the property to avoid needing planning permission. Unlike England, there is no 5 m² allowance for new paving; only repairs of up to 5 m² of existing surface are exempt.
Since January 2019, construction work covering 100 m² or more with drainage implications, including drives and patios, needs approval from the local SuDS Approving Body (SAB) before work starts, even where planning permission is not needed.
A dropped kerb needs your council's approval as highway authority, and a new access onto a classified road 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.
What you can expect from us
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
Clean finish
The site is swept, the joints are filled and you are shown how to look after the paving.
Honest timescales
We tell you how long the job takes and what can delay it, such as approvals and weather.
Edges set in concrete
Every edge restraint is bedded and haunched, so the paving cannot creep.
Permeable paving in Aberkenfig: questions
Do you cover Bridgend, Pencoed and Pyle?
Yes. We cover Aberkenfig and the places around it, including Bridgend, Pencoed and Pyle, and the rest of Mid Glamorgan.
Do I need planning permission for a permeable block drive in Aberkenfig?
In Wales, new front paving should be permeable or drain within your boundary to avoid planning permission, and drives of 100 m² or more need SuDS approval. Ask us on the survey if you are unsure.
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.
Is the survey in Aberkenfig 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 Aberkenfig
Nearby towns we cover for permeable paving, and permeable paving across Mid Glamorgan:
- Permeable paving in Bridgend
- Permeable paving in Pencoed
- Permeable paving in Pyle
- Permeable paving in Maesteg
- Permeable paving in Porthcawl
- Permeable paving in Tonyrefail
