New tarmac driveways in March

New tarmac driveway prices in March

Guide prices below are for March, adjusted for the East of England, where surfacing rates run about 5% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£63–£100 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,100–£3,300
Example: 50 m² drive	£3,150–£5,000
Example: 80 m² drive	£5,050–£8,000

As a 2026 guide in March, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £63–£100 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,100–£3,300. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

How it is built

What is included in a new tarmac driveway?

A new tarmac driveway is built from the ground up: the old surface and soil are dug out, a compacted stone sub-base is laid, then a hot binder course and a finer surface course are spread and rolled, and the edges are held by kerbs or blocks.

Dig to formation level, usually around 230–250 mm below finished height
Geotextile membrane where the ground is soft or clay
MOT Type 1 sub-base laid and compacted in layers, about 150 mm
Concrete-haunched kerbs or a block-paved border as edge restraint
Falls set so water runs to a channel, gully or soft landscaping

Covering March

The key facts for March. We cover March by grouping surveys with nearby Cambridgeshire jobs; Peterborough is 14 miles away.

Postcodes: PE15
Area: Cambridgeshire
Nearest towns: Wisbech (8 miles), Ely (13 miles), Peterborough (14 miles), St Ives (17 miles)
Pricing: East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Close to March: Wisbech, Ely, Peterborough, St Ives, Huntingdon.

Rules that apply in March

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

March: common questions

What approvals apply in March?

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).

Is the survey in March free?

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.

How quickly can work start in March?

Usually 2–4 working days for a typical drive, longer with drainage or a dropped kerb. We book March surveys alongside other jobs in Cambridgeshire, and give you dates once the specification is agreed.

Do you cover all of March?

We cover March including PE15, and nearby Wisbech, Ely, Peterborough.

Also in March

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