New tarmac driveways in Portslade

What does a new tarmac driveway cost in Portslade?

Guide prices below are for Portslade, 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: 30 m² drive	£2,200–£3,450
Example: 50 m² drive	£3,300–£5,250
Example: 80 m² drive	£5,300–£8,350

As a 2026 guide in Portslade, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £66–£105 per m² including VAT, so a 80 m² drive is roughly £5,300–£8,350. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Do I need permission in Portslade?

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 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
Concrete-haunched kerbs or a block-paved border as edge restraint
Surface course (AC 6 dense), about 20–30 mm, laid hot and rolled
Falls set so water runs to a channel, gully or soft landscaping

Where we work in and around Portslade

Portslade at a glance. Smaller towns such as Portslade are surveyed alongside nearby jobs in East Sussex.

Postcodes: BN41, BN42, BN45
Area: East Sussex
Nearest towns: Hove (2 miles), Shoreham-by-Sea (3 miles), Brighton (3 miles), Lancing (5 miles)
Pricing: South East, about 10% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Hove, Shoreham-by-Sea, Brighton, Lancing, Worthing.

Your questions answered

Is the survey in Portslade 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 long will the work take at my Portslade property?

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

Which Portslade postcodes do you cover?

We cover Portslade including BN41, BN42, BN45, and nearby Hove, Shoreham-by-Sea, Brighton.

New tarmac driveway cost in Portslade: what should I budget?

As a 2026 guide in Portslade, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £66–£105 per m² including VAT, so a 80 m² drive is roughly £5,300–£8,350. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Also in Portslade

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