New tarmac driveways in Bishops Stortford

What does a new tarmac driveway cost in Bishops Stortford?

These Bishops Stortford guide prices reflect rates in the East of England, 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 Bishops Stortford, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £63–£100 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is roughly £3,150–£5,000. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

What we do on 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
Concrete-haunched kerbs or a block-paved border as edge restraint
Falls set so water runs to a channel, gully or soft landscaping

How it is built

Planning and kerb rules for Bishops Stortford

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.

Bishops Stortford: the local details

Bishops Stortford at a glance. We reach Bishops Stortford on our Hertfordshire survey days; Watford is 28 miles away.

Postcodes: CM23, CM24, CM22, SG10, SG11
Area: Hertfordshire
Nearest towns: Harlow (7 miles), Ware (9 miles), Hoddesdon (10 miles), Saffron Walden (11 miles)
Pricing: East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Close to Bishops Stortford: Harlow, Ware, Hoddesdon, Saffron Walden, Hertford.

Your questions answered

Can I get a free survey in Bishops Stortford?

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.

What is the price of a new tarmac driveway in Bishops Stortford?

As a 2026 guide in Bishops Stortford, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £63–£100 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is roughly £3,150–£5,000. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Are there planning or highway rules in Bishops Stortford?

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).

Do you cover all of Bishops Stortford?

We cover Bishops Stortford including CM23, CM24, CM22, SG10, SG11, and nearby Harlow, Ware, Hoddesdon.

Also in Bishops Stortford

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