Front garden to tarmac driveway in Newton Abbot

Front garden driveway conversion prices in Newton Abbot

Guide prices below are for Newton Abbot, adjusted for the South West, where surfacing rates run about 3% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£62–£98 per m²
Example: 20 m² drive	£1,350–£2,150
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,050–£3,250
Example: 45 m² drive	£2,800–£4,400

As a 2026 guide in Newton Abbot, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £62–£98 per m² including VAT, so a 20 m² drive is roughly £1,350–£2,150. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Newton Abbot: the local details

The key facts for Newton Abbot. We reach Newton Abbot on our Devon survey days; Plymouth is 26 miles away.

Postcodes: TQ12, TQ14
Area: Devon
Nearest towns: Torquay (6 miles), Paignton (7 miles), Brixham (10 miles), Exmouth (11 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Torquay, Paignton, Brixham, Exmouth, Exeter.

Planning and kerb rules for Newton Abbot

In England, householder permitted development (Class F of the 2015 General Permitted Development Order) lets you lay a hard surface in front of a house without planning permission if it is porous, or if the rainwater is directed to a permeable area within the property. If the area is more than 5 m² and neither applies, you need permission. Standard dense tarmac is not porous, so a dense tarmac drive needs a lawn, border, channel to a soakaway or other permeable route for its water. If the job needs a dropped kerb, the highway authority (the county or unitary council) approves it before any work on the footway.

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
Lawn, hedge roots and topsoil removed
Kerbs or blocks as edge restraint
Water directed to a border, soakaway or channel
A planted strip kept where it helps drainage and looks

Newton Abbot: common questions

How quickly can work start in Newton Abbot?

Usually 2–4 working days, after the kerb approval. We book Newton Abbot surveys alongside other jobs in Devon, and give you dates once the specification is agreed.

Can I get a free survey in Newton Abbot?

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 you cover all of Newton Abbot?

We cover Newton Abbot including TQ12, TQ14, and nearby Torquay, Paignton, Brixham.

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

In England, a new hard surface over 5 m² in front of a house needs planning permission unless it is porous or drains to a lawn, border or soakaway within the property. Dropped kerbs are approved by the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

More we do in Newton Abbot

Questions about front garden driveway conversions in Newton Abbot? Call, WhatsApp or use the form, and we'll talk it through.