Front garden to tarmac driveway in Portsmouth

Front garden driveway conversion prices in Portsmouth

Guide prices below are for Portsmouth, adjusted for the South East, where surfacing rates run about 10% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£66–£105 per m²
Example: 20 m² drive	£1,450–£2,300
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,200–£3,450
Example: 45 m² drive	£2,950–£4,700

As a 2026 guide in Portsmouth, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £66–£105 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² drive is roughly £2,950–£4,700. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

How it is built

Do I need permission in Portsmouth?

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. 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

A front garden conversion turns lawn or planting into a parking space: the ground is excavated, a stone sub-base laid, tarmac surfaced on top, and a lowered kerb arranged so a car can cross the pavement legally.

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
Water directed to a border, soakaway or channel

Covering Portsmouth

Portsmouth at a glance. As one of the larger towns in Hampshire, Portsmouth sees regular survey visits.

Postcodes: PO1, PO5, PO4, PO2, PO3
Area: Hampshire
Nearest towns: Gosport (2 miles), Fareham (5 miles), Hayling Island (5 miles), Havant (6 miles)
Pricing: South East, about 10% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

The same service is available in Gosport, Fareham, Hayling Island, Havant, Waterlooville.

Your questions answered

What is the price of a front garden driveway conversion in Portsmouth?

As a 2026 guide in Portsmouth, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £66–£105 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² drive is roughly £2,950–£4,700. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

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

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).

Which Portsmouth postcodes do you cover?

We cover Portsmouth including PO1, PO5, PO4, PO2, PO3, and nearby Gosport, Fareham, Hayling Island.

Can I get a free survey in Portsmouth?

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.

Other work in Portsmouth

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