Tar and chip driveways in Highbury

What does a tar and chip driveway cost in Highbury?

These Highbury guide prices reflect rates in London, about 20% above our UK midpoint.

Item	Guide price (inc VAT)
Tar and chip drive with a new sub-base	£54–£90 per m²
Example: 50 m² drive	£2,700–£4,500
Example: 100 m² drive	£5,400–£9,000
Example: 200 m² drive	£10,250–£17,100

As a 2026 guide in Highbury, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £54–£90 per m² including VAT, so a 100 m² drive is roughly £5,400–£9,000. Guide only; the survey confirms a fixed price.

What is included in a tar and chip driveway?

Tar and chip, also called surface dressing, is a layer of bitumen sprayed onto a prepared base and immediately covered with stone chippings, which are rolled in so the surface looks like gravel but behaves like a bound drive.

Base prepared: new MOT Type 1 sub-base, or an existing sound tarmac or stone base
Edges set with kerbs, setts or cobbles
Hot bitumen or emulsion sprayed evenly
Loose surplus chippings swept up after a few days
Second coat where a double dressing is specified

Planning and kerb rules for Highbury

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

Highbury: the local details

Highbury at a glance. Highbury is one of the bigger places we cover in Greater London, so survey slots come round regularly.

Postcodes: N5, N16, N4, E8, E5
Area: Greater London
Nearest towns: Islington (1 mile), Holloway (1 mile), Camden Town (2 miles), Muswell Hill (3 miles)
Pricing: London, about 20% above our UK midpoint
Kerb approvals: The highway authority

The same service is available in Islington, Holloway, Camden Town, Muswell Hill, Wood Green.

Your questions answered

Do you work in my part of Highbury?

We cover Highbury including N5, N16, N4, E8, E5, and nearby Islington, Holloway, Camden Town.

How long will the work take at my Highbury property?

Often 1–3 days depending on base work. We book Highbury surveys alongside other jobs in Greater London, and give you dates once the specification is agreed.

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

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.

Tar and chip driveway cost in Highbury: what should I budget?

As a 2026 guide in Highbury, tar and chip driveway work runs at about £54–£90 per m² including VAT, so a 100 m² drive is roughly £5,400–£9,000. Edging, drainage and a dropped kerb are priced separately where needed.

Also in Highbury

Tell us what you have in mind for Highbury and we'll book a survey and put the specification in writing.