Permeable tarmac driveways in Bodmin

How much should I budget in Bodmin?

These Bodmin guide prices reflect rates in the South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Porous asphalt drive on a permeable stone base	£82–£129 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,700–£4,250
Example: 50 m² drive	£4,100–£6,450
Example: 80 m² drive	£6,600–£10,300

As a 2026 guide in Bodmin, permeable tarmac driveway work runs at about £82–£129 per m² including VAT, so a 80 m² drive is roughly £6,600–£10,300. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Planning and kerb rules for Bodmin

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. Any new or widened crossing over the pavement needs approval from the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

What the price covers

A permeable tarmac drive uses porous asphalt, a mix with fewer fine particles so water passes through the gaps, laid on an open-graded stone base that stores the rain and lets it soak into the ground.

Dig out deeper than a standard drive to fit the storage layer
Geotextile separating layer on the formation
Open-graded permeable sub-base, often Type 3 or 4/20 stone
Porous asphalt binder and surface courses
Edge restraint that does not block the flow

Covering Bodmin

What applies in Bodmin. Smaller towns such as Bodmin are surveyed alongside nearby jobs in Cornwall.

Postcodes: PL31, PL30, PL22
Area: Cornwall
Nearest towns: St Austell (9 miles), Newquay (16 miles), Truro (20 miles), Saltash (22 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in St Austell, Newquay, Truro, Saltash.

Bodmin: common questions

Are there planning or highway rules in Bodmin?

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).

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

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 permeable tarmac driveway in Bodmin?

As a 2026 guide in Bodmin, permeable tarmac driveway work runs at about £82–£129 per m² including VAT, so a 80 m² drive is roughly £6,600–£10,300. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

How long does a permeable tarmac driveway take in Bodmin?

Usually 3–5 working days. We book Bodmin surveys alongside other jobs in Cornwall, and give you dates once the specification is agreed.

Also in Bodmin

Tell us what you have in mind for Bodmin and we'll book a survey and put the specification in writing.