Permeable tarmac driveways in Barnstaple

How much should I budget in Barnstaple?

Guide prices below are for Barnstaple, adjusted for the South West, where surfacing rates run 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 Barnstaple, 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.

What we do on a permeable tarmac driveway

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

Ground check: how fast does the soil drain?
Dig out deeper than a standard drive to fit the storage layer
Geotextile separating layer on the formation
Porous asphalt binder and surface courses
Edge restraint that does not block the flow

Covering Barnstaple

What applies in Barnstaple. We reach Barnstaple on our Devon survey days; Plymouth is 49 miles away.

Postcodes: EX31, EX32, EX33
Area: Devon
Nearest towns: Bideford (8 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Close to Barnstaple: Bideford.

Do I need permission in Barnstaple?

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).

Your questions answered

Are there planning or highway rules in Barnstaple?

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).

Is the survey in Barnstaple free?

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.

Do you cover all of Barnstaple?

We cover Barnstaple including EX31, EX32, EX33, and nearby Bideford.

How long does a permeable tarmac driveway take in Barnstaple?

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

Also in Barnstaple

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