Permeable tarmac driveways in Bideford

Permeable tarmac driveway prices in Bideford

Local guide rates for Bideford (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 Bideford, permeable tarmac driveway work runs at about £82–£129 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,700–£4,250. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

How it is built

Planning and kerb rules for Bideford

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).

Covering Bideford

Survey cover and pricing for Bideford. Smaller towns such as Bideford are surveyed alongside nearby jobs in Devon.

Postcodes: EX39, EX38
Area: Devon
Nearest towns: Barnstaple (8 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

We also cover nearby Barnstaple.

What is included in a permeable tarmac driveway?

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.

Ground check: how fast does the soil drain?
Geotextile separating layer on the formation
Open-graded permeable sub-base, often Type 3 or 4/20 stone
Overflow to a soakaway or border on slow-draining ground
Edge restraint that does not block the flow

Questions about permeable tarmac driveways in Bideford

Do you cover all of Bideford?

We cover Bideford including EX39, EX38, and nearby Barnstaple.

How long does a permeable tarmac driveway take in Bideford?

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

What approvals apply in Bideford?

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 Bideford 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.

Also in Bideford

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