Front garden to tarmac driveway in Castlereagh

How much should I budget in Castlereagh?

Guide prices below are for Castlereagh, adjusted for Northern Ireland, where surfacing rates run about 12% below our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£53–£84 per m²
Example: 20 m² drive	£1,150–£1,850
Example: 30 m² drive	£1,750–£2,750
Example: 45 m² drive	£2,400–£3,750

As a 2026 guide in Castlereagh, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £53–£84 per m² including VAT, so a 20 m² drive is roughly £1,150–£1,850. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Where we work in and around Castlereagh

Survey cover and pricing for Castlereagh. We reach Castlereagh on our County Down survey days; Bangor, County Down is 11 miles away.

Postcodes: BT6, BT5, BT4, BT8
Area: County Down
Nearest towns: Belfast (2 miles), Dundonald (4 miles), Holywood (5 miles), Comber (6 miles)
Pricing: Northern Ireland, about 12% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: DfI Roads

We also cover nearby Belfast, Dundonald, Holywood, Comber, Newtownabbey.

What we do on a front garden driveway conversion

Turning a lawn or front garden into off-road parking: dig, base, tarmac, kerb crossing and planting.

Check the space: length, width and gate posts for a car
Highway authority dropped kerb application guided or handled for you
Lawn, hedge roots and topsoil removed
Kerbs or blocks as edge restraint
A planted strip kept where it helps drainage and looks

Planning and kerb rules for Castlereagh

In Northern Ireland, the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 allows a hard surface between the front of a house and a road without permission if it is porous or drains to a porous area within the property, once it exceeds 5 m². Listed buildings and some access changes need permission. Any new or altered vehicle access onto a public road needs approval from DfI Roads, not the council.

Questions about front garden driveway conversions in Castlereagh

How much does a front garden driveway conversion cost in Castlereagh?

As a 2026 guide in Castlereagh, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £53–£84 per m² including VAT, so a 20 m² drive is roughly £1,150–£1,850. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Can I get a free survey in Castlereagh?

Yes for new surfacing such as drives, paths, private roads and car parks. Small repairs are often priced from photos; if a visit is needed for a repair-only job, we tell you any charge first.

Do I need permission for a front garden driveway conversion in Castlereagh?

In Northern Ireland, more than 5 m² of hard surface in front of a house should be porous or drain to a porous area within the property; DfI Roads approves dropped kerbs. Dropped kerbs are approved by DfI Roads.

Do you cover all of Castlereagh?

We cover Castlereagh including BT6, BT5, BT4, BT8, and nearby Belfast, Dundonald, Holywood.

Other work in Castlereagh

Tell us what you have in mind for Castlereagh and we'll book a survey and put the specification in writing.