Services · Driveways
Driveways, built from the ground up
In short We prepare and build driveways in Saltash and Plymouth, and across Cornwall and Devon. This page sets out what goes into the build, the front garden rule, and the council steps for a new dropped kerb on both sides of the Tamar.
The build
What goes under a driveway.
Five stages, in the order they happen. The surface is the last thing to go on.
- 1
Dig out
The old surface and enough ground come out to make room for a proper base, and the waste is taken away.
- 2
Levels and falls
Set so rainwater runs away from the house and off the drive somewhere sensible, and so the drive meets the pavement, the garage and the door.
- 3
Base and edges
A compacted base that will carry a car, with firm edges to stop the surface spreading.
- 4
Covers reset
Manhole and drain covers raised or lowered to sit flush with the finished surface.
- 5
The surface
The finish goes on last. Talk to us about what suits your drive.
The end product was perfect.
The front garden rule
Does your new driveway need planning?
Paving the front garden of a house is permitted development, with one condition. If the new hard surface is more than 5 m², it must either let water soak through or drain to a lawn or border within your own garden. If it does neither, you need planning permission.
The rule comes from the national permitted development order, so it is the same in Saltash and Plymouth. Flats, listed buildings and homes where permitted development rights have been removed are different: ask the council.
The 5 m² check
For a driveway in front of the house.
Enter the size to check it.
Dropped kerbs
Two councils, two sets of rules.
The Tamar is the border. A Saltash drive goes to Cornwall Council, a Plymouth drive to Plymouth City Council.
Saltash side
Cornwall Council
- Hardstanding at least 2.5 m wide by 5.0 m deep
- Pavement work by an accredited contractor
- Check planning first: it is your responsibility
- A minimum of six weeks
Plymouth side
Plymouth City Council
- Hardstanding at least 4.8 m deep by 2.7 m wide
- Accredited contractor with a Section 171 permit
- Planning first on classified roads, conservation areas and more
- 6 to 8 weeks
Do I need a dropped kerb?
If you will drive across the pavement to reach the driveway, yes. Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council each have their own application, and the pavement work is done by an accredited contractor.
What happens to manhole covers in the drive?
They are reset to the new level so they sit flush with the finished surface. On one recent drive we re-bedded three inset manhole frames to the correct levels.
Why do the levels matter so much?
Water has to fall away from the house and off the drive somewhere sensible, the drive has to meet the pavement and the garage or door, and covers have to sit flush. All of that is set before the surface goes on.
Which surface should I choose?
It depends on the drive, how it drains and the look you want. Talk it through with us when we have seen the space.
Sources
Checked 22 October 2026. Rules change, so check your own address with the council before work starts.
- The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015, Schedule 2 Part 1 Class F (hard surfaces)
- Planning Portal: paving your front garden
- GOV.UK: guidance on the permeable surfacing of front gardens
- Cornwall Council: apply to install a new dropped kerb or alter an existing access
- Plymouth City Council: dropped kerbs
Planning a new driveway?
Send us a photo from the road, the rough size and the town.