New tarmac driveways in Melksham

What does a new tarmac driveway cost in Melksham?

For Melksham, we apply the South West rate, about 3% above our UK midpoint. Your survey turns these ranges into a fixed price.

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 Melksham, new tarmac driveway work runs at about £62–£98 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is roughly £3,100–£4,900. 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.

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
Concrete-haunched kerbs or a block-paved border as edge restraint
Surface course (AC 6 dense), about 20–30 mm, laid hot and rolled

Do I need permission in Melksham?

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.

Melksham: the local details

Survey cover and pricing for Melksham. We cover Melksham by grouping surveys with nearby Wiltshire jobs; Swindon is 20 miles away.

Postcodes: SN12
Area: Wiltshire
Nearest towns: Trowbridge (5 miles), Chippenham (6 miles), Devizes (6 miles), Calne (7 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Close to Melksham: Trowbridge, Chippenham, Devizes, Calne, Westbury.

Layer by layer

Questions about new tarmac driveways in Melksham

Can I get a free survey in Melksham?

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 Melksham property?

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

Do you work in my part of Melksham?

We cover Melksham including SN12, and nearby Trowbridge, Chippenham, Devizes.

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

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 Melksham

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