Permeable tarmac driveways in Ferndown

Permeable tarmac driveway prices in Ferndown

Local guide rates for Ferndown (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 Ferndown, permeable tarmac driveway work runs at about £82–£129 per m² including VAT, so a 50 m² drive is roughly £4,100–£6,450. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Planning and kerb rules for Ferndown

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.

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?
Open-graded permeable sub-base, often Type 3 or 4/20 stone
Porous asphalt binder and surface courses
Overflow to a soakaway or border on slow-draining ground
Edge restraint that does not block the flow

Ferndown: the local details

Survey cover and pricing for Ferndown. We cover Ferndown by grouping surveys with nearby Dorset jobs; Bournemouth is 6 miles away.

Postcodes: BH22, BH31, BH24
Area: Dorset
Nearest towns: Wimborne Minster (4 miles), Bournemouth (6 miles), Christchurch (7 miles), Poole (7 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Wimborne Minster, Bournemouth, Christchurch, Poole, New Milton.

How it is built

Questions about permeable tarmac driveways in Ferndown

How long will the work take at my Ferndown property?

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

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

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).

Which Ferndown postcodes do you cover?

We cover Ferndown including BH22, BH31, BH24, and nearby Wimborne Minster, Bournemouth, Christchurch.

Is the survey in Ferndown 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.

More we do in Ferndown

Send us a postcode, a rough size and a photo or two, and we'll come back with survey dates for Ferndown.