Front garden to tarmac driveway in Gateshead

What does a front garden driveway conversion cost in Gateshead?

Local guide rates for Gateshead (the North East, about 7% below our UK midpoint):

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£56–£88 per m²
Example: 20 m² drive	£1,250–£1,950
Example: 30 m² drive	£1,850–£2,900
Example: 45 m² drive	£2,500–£4,000

As a 2026 guide in Gateshead, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £56–£88 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² drive is roughly £2,500–£4,000. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

How it is built

What the price covers

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.

Highway authority dropped kerb application guided or handled for you
Sub-base and two tarmac courses, or porous asphalt
Kerbs or blocks as edge restraint
Water directed to a border, soakaway or channel
A planted strip kept where it helps drainage and looks

Planning and kerb rules for Gateshead

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. Any new or widened crossing over the pavement needs approval from the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

Gateshead: the local details

Survey cover and pricing for Gateshead. We cover Gateshead as part of our regular Tyne and Wear rounds.

Postcodes: NE8
Area: Tyne and Wear
Nearest towns: Newcastle upon Tyne (1 mile), Felling (1 mile), Gosforth (3 miles), Whickham (3 miles)
Pricing: North East, about 7% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

We also cover nearby Newcastle upon Tyne, Felling, Gosforth, Whickham, Wallsend.

Gateshead: common questions

Front garden driveway conversion cost in Gateshead: what should I budget?

As a 2026 guide in Gateshead, front garden driveway conversion work runs at about £56–£88 per m² including VAT, so a 45 m² drive is roughly £2,500–£4,000. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

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

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).

How long does a front garden driveway conversion take in Gateshead?

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

Do you work in my part of Gateshead?

We cover Gateshead including NE8, and nearby Newcastle upon Tyne, Felling, Gosforth.

Other work in Gateshead

Send us a postcode, a rough size and a photo or two, and we'll come back with survey dates for Gateshead.