Red tarmac driveways in St Austell

Red tarmac driveway prices in St Austell

Local guide rates for St Austell (the South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint):

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Red tarmac drive, full dig-out and new sub-base	£77–£118 per m²
Example: 30 m² drive	£2,550–£3,900
Example: 50 m² drive	£3,850–£5,900
Example: 80 m² drive	£6,200–£9,500

As a 2026 guide in St Austell, red tarmac driveway work runs at about £77–£118 per m² including VAT, so a 80 m² drive is roughly £6,200–£9,500. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

Do I need permission in St Austell?

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).

What is included in a red tarmac driveway?

Red tarmac is ordinary asphalt with a red pigment, and often red aggregate, in the surface course, laid on the same sub-base and binder course as a black tarmac drive.

Full dig-out and MOT Type 1 sub-base, about 150 mm
Red pigmented surface course, about 20–30 mm
Contrasting block or kerb border as edge restraint
Colour sample discussed before ordering
Falls and drainage set as for any new drive

St Austell: the local details

What applies in St Austell. We cover St Austell by grouping surveys with nearby Cornwall jobs; Redruth is 21 miles away.

Postcodes: PL25, PL26, PL24
Area: Cornwall
Nearest towns: Bodmin (9 miles), Truro (13 miles), Newquay (14 miles), Falmouth (18 miles)
Pricing: South West, about 3% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

Nearby, we work in Bodmin, Truro, Newquay, Falmouth, Redruth.

Your questions answered

Do you work in my part of St Austell?

We cover St Austell including PL25, PL26, PL24, and nearby Bodmin, Truro, Newquay.

What approvals apply in St Austell?

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).

How long does a red tarmac driveway take in St Austell?

Usually 2–4 working days. We book St Austell surveys alongside other jobs in Cornwall, and give you dates once the specification is agreed.

Red tarmac driveway cost in St Austell: what should I budget?

As a 2026 guide in St Austell, red tarmac driveway work runs at about £77–£118 per m² including VAT, so a 80 m² drive is roughly £6,200–£9,500. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Other work in St Austell

Ready for a price in St Austell? Use the guide price tool or send the form, and we'll arrange a visit.