Permeable tarmac driveways in Bournemouth

Permeable tarmac driveway prices in Bournemouth

Local guide rates for Bournemouth (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 Bournemouth, 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.

Covering Bournemouth

The key facts for Bournemouth. We cover Bournemouth as part of our regular Dorset rounds.

Postcodes: BH2, BH4, BH1, BH3, BH8, BH13, BH9, BH5
Area: Dorset
Nearest towns: Christchurch (4 miles), Poole (5 miles), Ferndown (6 miles), Wimborne Minster (6 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

We also cover nearby Christchurch, Poole, Ferndown, Wimborne Minster, New Milton.

What we do on 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
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 Bournemouth

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.

Layer by layer

Your questions answered

How much does a permeable tarmac driveway cost in Bournemouth?

As a 2026 guide in Bournemouth, 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.

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

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 work in my part of Bournemouth?

We cover Bournemouth including BH2, BH4, BH1, BH3, BH8, BH13, and nearby Christchurch, Poole, Ferndown.

Do I need permission for a permeable tarmac driveway in Bournemouth?

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).

More we do in Bournemouth

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