Permeable tarmac driveways in St Albans

Permeable tarmac driveway prices in St Albans

Guide prices below are for St Albans, adjusted for the East of England, where surfacing rates run about 5% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Porous asphalt drive on a permeable stone base	£84–£131 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,750–£4,350
Example: 50 m² drive	£4,200–£6,550
Example: 80 m² drive	£6,700–£10,500

As a 2026 guide in St Albans, permeable tarmac driveway work runs at about £84–£131 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,750–£4,350. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

What is included in a permeable tarmac driveway?

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

Dig out deeper than a standard drive to fit the storage layer
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

Where we work in and around St Albans

What applies in St Albans. As one of the larger towns in Hertfordshire, St Albans sees regular survey visits.

Postcodes: AL1, AL2, AL4
Area: Hertfordshire
Nearest towns: Harpenden (5 miles), Hatfield (5 miles), Hemel Hempstead (5 miles), Welwyn Garden City (6 miles)
Pricing: East of England, about 5% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Close to St Albans: Harpenden, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City, Borehamwood.

Planning and kerb rules for St Albans

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. A vehicle crossing over the footway is a separate approval, from the highway authority (the county or unitary council).

How it is built

Questions about permeable tarmac driveways in St Albans

How much does a permeable tarmac driveway cost in St Albans?

As a 2026 guide in St Albans, permeable tarmac driveway work runs at about £84–£131 per m² including VAT, so a 30 m² drive is roughly £2,750–£4,350. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Can I get a free survey in St Albans?

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.

How long does a permeable tarmac driveway take in St Albans?

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

Do I need permission for a permeable tarmac driveway in St Albans?

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 St Albans

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