New tarmac driveways in Kettering

What does a new tarmac driveway cost in Kettering?

Guide prices below are for Kettering, adjusted for the East Midlands, where surfacing rates run about 2% below our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
New black tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£59–£93 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£1,950–£3,050
Example: 50 m² drive	£2,950–£4,650
Example: 80 m² drive	£4,700–£7,450

As a 2026 guide in Kettering, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £59–£93 per m² including VAT, so a 80 m² drive is roughly £4,700–£7,450. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

What the price covers

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
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
Surface course (AC 6 dense), about 20–30 mm, laid hot and rolled

Do I need permission in Kettering?

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. A vehicle crossing over the footway is a separate approval, from the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

How it is built

Kettering: the local details

Kettering at a glance. We reach Kettering on our Northamptonshire survey days; Northampton is 12 miles away.

Postcodes: NN16, NN14, NN15
Area: Northamptonshire
Nearest towns: Wellingborough (7 miles), Corby (7 miles), Rushden (9 miles), Market Harborough (10 miles)
Pricing: East Midlands, about 2% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

We also cover nearby Wellingborough, Corby, Rushden, Market Harborough, Northampton.

Kettering: common questions

What approvals apply in Kettering?

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 does a new tarmac driveway take in Kettering?

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

Do you cover all of Kettering?

We cover Kettering including NN16, NN14, NN15, and nearby Wellingborough, Corby, Rushden.

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

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.

More we do in Kettering

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