Can I Turn My Front Garden Into A Driveway?

One way to increase the overall value of your property and add kerb appeal is by converting your front garden into a driveway. So, the answer is yes; You can turn your front garden into a driveway.

Experts say you increase the value of your property by 5% to 10% just by turning your front lawn into a driveway. This guide tells you how you can do this as well as important factors to consider when transforming your front garden into a driveway. For instance, we will look at laws surrounding dropped kerbs, cost of this transformation, if you need planning permission as well as other expenses that may arise in future.

Is Planning Permission Needed To Turn My Front Garden Into A Driveway?

Usually, you will not need to ask for a permit to turn your front garden into a driveway especially if your driveway is intended to be permeable. That means you do not need a planning permission for driveways if your driveway is going to be SUDS compliant. There are different front drive ideas including paving, gravel or resin bound.

Front garden driveway ideas which are permeable include block paving, resin bound and porous asphalt. They allow water to drain naturally reducing the risk of flash flooding and water puddling. If these materials are to be used for your driveway, then you can go ahead without seeking approval from the UK planning authority. Experts also suggest directing the rain water to a border or lawn for it to naturally drain away.

However, bear in mind that if you are working on your fences, gates, walls or a dropped kerb, you may actually need planning permission.

Explaining What A Dropped Kerb Means?

A kerb refers to a raised edge to a pavement or path that lies nearest the road or which separates it from the road. Therefore, a dropped kerb is when you lower this edge in order to construct your driveway and allow for easy access of cars from the road to the driveway and vice versa.

Dropping kerbs requires planning permission as you will to add more material to further strengthen the pavement. Additionally, you may need council permission if there are underground pipes which need to be protected. Most times, the local authority will assign a contractor to carry out the job instead of allowing you to carry it out. Some may however allow you to choose your own contractor

​​Building a dropped kerb without obtaining permission can incur a fine of up £1000.

Conservation Area and Building Driveways

You will also bear in mind that permissions are not automatic for a dropped kerb if you live in a conservation area or where you want to drop the kerb is in close proximity to a bus stop or on a busy road.

Before permission is granted, you will have to convince the planners that you will enter and leave your driveway safely without any challenges. You will also consider what you have to demolish to build a dropped kerb for your driveway. You may need to demolish a wall to create enough width for your driveway and if this wall is higher than one metre, you will need planning permission.

Furthermore, for you to obtain permission, you also have to prove to the planners that your front garden is big enough (minimum of 2.4m by 4.8m) to comfortably accommodate a standard vehicle.

How To Build A Driveway?

To build a resin bound driveway, first you need to be sure that the existing base is strong enough to carry the driveway. An MOT Type 1 base is ideal. Materials such as concrete and tarmac are suitable for resin driveways. Ensure that your base is not irregular as a frail and irregular base can lead to swelling, caving or cracking of the driveway.

• Prepare the base
• Mix the resin
• Mix resin with stone aggregates and sand or crushed glass
• Pour the mix on the driveway area

For a more detailed installation guide, visit or resin driveway installation page.

Conclusion

You can bring that desired transformation to your home by transforming your front garden in a driveway. At YourResinDriveway, our expert installers can make available to you different front garden driveway ideas like permeable block paving and resin bound options as a viable alternative to what you already have.

Apart from the fact that it increases the value of your property, it adds elegance to your property while also ensuring that you have an SUDS compliant solution in your outdoor space to take care of water after rainfall.

Reach out to us today via our helplines for a free quote for your next project. After a free full site survey we will make use of our resin driveway cost calculator to know what it will cost you. You can also fill out our online free enquiry form for further queries.