Planning a permeable block drive in Corby
Homes in Corby include plenty of semis and detached houses with room for a drive, plus older terraces where parking is tighter.
Clay and mudstone ground is common in the East Midlands, so we allow for a deeper sub-base where the survey shows soft ground.
How much does a permeable block drive cost in Corby?
For Corby, 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 East Midlands, checked 9 November 2026. See all prices or use the guide price tool.
What does a permeable block drive involve?
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.
- Open-graded crushed stone (no fines) laid and compacted in layers
- Grit laying course and permeable blocks with grit-filled joints
- Deeper dig-out for the open-graded sub-base
- Geotextile layer where the design needs one
- Ground check: how well the soil drains and how high the water table sits
Before we price your permeable block drive
- Existing manhole and inspection covers, and whether to recess them
- Ground conditions under the old surface and how deep the sub-base must be
- Access for a mini-digger, skip or grab lorry
- Where rain will go: falls, lawn, border, channel or soakaway
- Edges against lawns, beds, walls and neighbours
Rules for front drives in Corby
Corby 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
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
Water planned first
Falls, channels and soakaways are designed before the pattern is chosen.
The dig and sub-base in writing
Your quote states the depth of dig, the sub-base thickness and how it is compacted.
Repair before replace
If your drive can be fixed or re-laid, we will say so.
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.
Permeable paving in Corby: questions
Can you match the blocks to my house in Corby?
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.
Is the survey in Corby 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.
Do I need planning permission for a permeable block drive in Corby?
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.
Do you cover Kettering, Market Harborough and Wellingborough?
Yes. We cover Corby and the places around it, including Kettering, Market Harborough and Wellingborough, and the rest of Northamptonshire.
Permeable paving near Corby
Nearby towns we cover for permeable paving, and permeable paving across Northamptonshire:
- Permeable paving in Kettering
- Permeable paving in Market Harborough
- Permeable paving in Wellingborough
- Permeable paving in Rushden
- Permeable paving in Northampton
