Permeable tarmac driveways in Gwent

How much does a permeable tarmac driveway cost in Gwent?

Rates in Gwent follow Wales, about 5% below our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Porous asphalt drive on a permeable stone base	£76–£119 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,500–£3,900
Example: 50 m² drive	£3,800–£5,950
Example: 80 m² drive	£6,100–£9,500

Towns we cover in Gwent

Postcode areas: CF, GL, NP.

What is included?

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
Porous asphalt binder and surface courses
Overflow to a soakaway or border on slow-draining ground
Edge restraint that does not block the flow

Rules in Gwent

In Wales, a new hard surface in front of a house is permitted development only if it is porous or drains to a permeable area within the property; repairing or replacing up to 5 m² of existing hardstanding is allowed without meeting that condition. Separately, since January 2019, construction covering 100 m² or more that affects drainage generally needs approval from the council's SuDS Approving Body (SAB) before work starts, even where planning permission is not needed. Larger drives, shared surfaces and car parks often reach that threshold. A vehicle crossing over the footway is a separate approval, from the council as highway authority.