New tarmac driveways in Manchester

What does a new tarmac driveway cost in Manchester?

Local guide rates for Manchester (the North West, about 3% below our UK midpoint):

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£58–£92 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£1,900–£3,050
Example: 50 m² drive	£2,900–£4,600
Example: 80 m² drive	£4,650–£7,350

As a 2026 guide in Manchester, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £58–£92 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is roughly £2,900–£4,600. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

What the price covers

Full dig-out, compacted stone sub-base, binder course and a fine surface course, edged and drained.

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
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

Rules that apply in Manchester

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.

Manchester: the local details

The key facts for Manchester. We cover Manchester as part of our regular Greater Manchester rounds.

Postcodes: M1, M60, M2, M4, M61, M3, M15, M8
Area: Greater Manchester
Nearest towns: Longsight (2 miles), Salford (2 miles), Failsworth (3 miles), Droylsden (4 miles)
Pricing: North West, about 3% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Longsight, Salford, Failsworth, Droylsden, Stretford.

Manchester: common questions

Do you work in my part of Manchester?

We cover Manchester including M1, M60, M2, M4, M61, M3, and nearby Longsight, Salford, Failsworth.

Will someone visit before I get a fixed price in Manchester?

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.

Are there planning or highway rules in Manchester?

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 will the work take at my Manchester property?

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

Other work in Manchester

Questions about new tarmac driveways in Manchester? Call, WhatsApp or use the form, and we'll talk it through.