Permeable tarmac driveways in Holywood

How much should I budget in Holywood?

For Holywood, we apply the Northern Ireland rate, about 12% below our UK midpoint. Your survey turns these ranges into a fixed price.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Porous asphalt drive on a permeable stone base	£70–£110 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,300–£3,650
Example: 50 m² drive	£3,500–£5,500
Example: 80 m² drive	£5,650–£8,800

As a 2026 guide in Holywood, permeable tarmac driveway work runs at about £70–£110 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is roughly £3,500–£5,500. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

What is included in a permeable tarmac driveway?

Open-graded porous asphalt on a deep permeable stone base, so rain soaks through on site.

Dig out deeper than a standard drive to fit the storage layer
Geotextile separating layer on the formation
Porous asphalt binder and surface courses
Overflow to a soakaway or border on slow-draining ground
Edge restraint that does not block the flow

Planning and kerb rules for Holywood

In Northern Ireland, the Planning (General Permitted Development) Order (Northern Ireland) 2015 allows a hard surface between the front of a house and a road without permission if it is porous or drains to a porous area within the property, once it exceeds 5 m². Listed buildings and some access changes need permission. Any new or altered vehicle access onto a public road needs approval from DfI Roads, not the council.

Covering Holywood

What applies in Holywood. Smaller towns such as Holywood are surveyed alongside nearby jobs in County Down.

Postcodes: BT18
Area: County Down
Nearest towns: Dundonald (3 miles), Newtownabbey (4 miles), Belfast (5 miles), Castlereagh (5 miles)
Pricing: Northern Ireland, about 12% below our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: DfI Roads

Close to Holywood: Dundonald, Newtownabbey, Belfast, Castlereagh, Carrickfergus.

How it is built

Your questions answered

What is the price of a permeable tarmac driveway in Holywood?

As a 2026 guide in Holywood, permeable tarmac driveway work runs at about £70–£110 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is roughly £3,500–£5,500. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

How long will the work take at my Holywood property?

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

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

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 Holywood?

In Northern Ireland, more than 5 m² of hard surface in front of a house should be porous or drain to a porous area within the property; DfI Roads approves dropped kerbs. Dropped kerbs are approved by DfI Roads.

Also in Holywood

Ready for a price in Holywood? Use the guide price tool or send the form, and we'll arrange a visit.