New tarmac driveways in Barnstaple

New tarmac driveway prices in Barnstaple

Local guide rates for Barnstaple (the South West, 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: 30 m² drive	£2,050–£3,250
Example: 50 m² drive	£3,100–£4,900
Example: 80 m² drive	£4,950–£7,850

As a 2026 guide in Barnstaple, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £62–£98 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,050–£3,250. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

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.

Break out and remove the old surface and spoil
Geotextile membrane where the ground is soft or clay
MOT Type 1 sub-base laid and compacted in layers, about 150 mm
Binder course (AC 20 dense), about 50–60 mm, laid hot and rolled
Falls set so water runs to a channel, gully or soft landscaping

Layer by layer

Barnstaple: the local details

Survey cover and pricing for Barnstaple. We reach Barnstaple on our Devon survey days; Plymouth is 49 miles away.

Postcodes: EX31, EX32, EX33
Area: Devon
Nearest towns: Bideford (8 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Bideford.

Rules that apply in Barnstaple

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).

Questions about new tarmac driveways in Barnstaple

Do you work in my part of Barnstaple?

We cover Barnstaple including EX31, EX32, EX33, and nearby Bideford.

How much does a new tarmac driveway cost in Barnstaple?

As a 2026 guide in Barnstaple, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £62–£98 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,050–£3,250. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

How long will the work take at my Barnstaple property?

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

Do I need permission for a new tarmac driveway in Barnstaple?

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).

Other work in Barnstaple

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