Driveway Surface Options: How to Choose the Right One
The main driveway surface options in the UK are tarmac, block paving, resin-bound gravel, loose gravel, concrete and natural stone. Tarmac suits heavy daily use on a budget, block paving suits anyone who wants design choice and easy repairs, and resin-bound suits a smooth, permeable, modern finish. Gravel is usually the cheapest to lay. The right one depends on your budget, how you use the drive, your drainage and the look of the house. Below we compare each option, cover the eco-friendly choices and explain the planning rule that catches many homeowners out.
TL;DR
- Tarmac: durable, practical and cost-efficient, at around £40 to £90 per m², but plain and usually impermeable.
- Block paving: the most design choice, handles heavy vehicles, and repairs are done block by block, but it needs cleaning and re-sanding.
- Resin-bound: smooth, seamless and highly permeable, but it costs more and repairs are hard to hide.
- Drainage decides more than looks: in England, an impermeable surface over 5 m² that drains to the road needs planning permission.
- Best choice for you: match the surface to your budget, your vehicles and your ground, ideally after someone has looked at the site.
Table of Contents
- The main driveway surfaces compared
- Tarmac driveways
- Block paving driveways
- Resin-bound driveways
- Gravel and natural stone
- What is the cheapest driveway surface?
- Environmentally friendly driveway options
- Planning rules for driveway surfaces in England
- How to choose: a short decision guide
- Our perspective on choosing a surface
- Get a fixed quote for your driveway
- FAQ
- Sources
The main driveway surfaces compared
Here is the short version before we go through each surface. Prices are the ranges published by Ideal Home’s 2025 driveway materials guide, and your own quote will depend on the site.
| Surface | Strengths | Watch-outs | Drainage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarmac | Durable, cost-efficient, around £40 to £90 per m² | Plain look, usually impermeable | Needs planning for runoff |
| Block paving | Design choice, heavy vehicles, easy repairs | Slow to install, needs cleaning and re-sanding | Permeable options exist |
| Resin-bound | Smooth, wide color choice, low maintenance | Up to £200 per m², hard to repair discreetly | Highly permeable |
| Loose gravel | Affordable, permeable, easy to top up | Stones escape, needs raking | Permeable |
| Natural stone | Premium, long-lasting look | Higher cost, suits period and character homes | Depends on the laying system |
Natural stone is our own addition to that table: the research behind the published figures does not price it, so we do not quote a number here. A site visit is the way to get a fixed figure for stone.
Tarmac driveways
Tarmac is the workhorse. Ideal Home describes it as a practical, durable and cost-efficient option at roughly £40 to £90 per m², and it copes well with heavy, everyday use. The trade-off is appearance: it is plain, and it is usually impermeable, so you must think about where the water goes.
That last point matters. A tarmac drive that runs water toward the road is exactly what the planning rules (below) are aimed at. Sloping the surface to a lawn, border or soakaway, or using a permeable porous asphalt, solves it. Government guidance says porous asphalt should be supplied and laid by a specialist company, so it is not a job for a general paving crew.
If you are weighing tarmac against its neighbors, we have written separate comparisons: tarmac versus concrete, tarmac or resin and what separates tarmac from asphalt. If an existing tarmac drive is tired rather than finished, patching, sealing or resurfacing may be all it needs.
Block paving driveways
Block paving gives the widest choice of colors, shapes and laying patterns. According to Ideal Home it handles heavy vehicles and is easy to repair because you lift and replace individual blocks. The costs are installation time and upkeep: it needs regular cleaning and re-sanding of the joints to keep weeds and movement at bay.
Permeable block paving systems let water pass through the joints into a stone sub-base. They have to be designed properly. Local drainage guidance notes that permeable paving must be designed for structural loading and infiltration capacity and should not be used on gradients steeper than 1 in 20.
For a head-to-head with tarmac where drainage is the deciding factor, read block paving versus tarmac.
Resin-bound driveways
Resin-bound surfacing is stone aggregate mixed with resin and trowelled into a smooth, seamless layer. It offers an extensive color range, a modern finish and high permeability: Ideal Home reports permeability rates quoted by one manufacturer of up to 1,000 to 1,500 litres per m² per hour. Expect to sweep it and pressure wash it about twice a year.
The costs sit at the top of the range, up to £200 per m² according to the same guide, and repairs are difficult to hide. A damaged patch, such as an oil spill or heavy impact, shows more on a seamless surface than on loose gravel, as Ideal Home’s resin versus gravel comparison explains.
Two things are worth checking before you commit. First, resin-bound is not the same as resin-bonded, which is laid differently: our guide to resin-bound versus resin-bonded explains the difference. Second, a resin drive only drains if the base beneath it does, which is covered in what makes a permeable resin driveway truly drain.
Gravel and natural stone
Loose gravel is affordable, permeable and easy to top up, though stones travel and the surface needs raking. Councils have firm views on the entrance. Uttlesford District Council suggests a strip of asphalt or block paving at the entrance to a gravel drive to stop stones migrating onto the highway. Gravesham Borough Council’s guidance goes further: its Highway Authority will generally only allow gravel at least 5 metres from the highway boundary, and loose gravel on the road is a danger and an offence under the Highways Act. Check with your own highway authority, since rules differ by council.
Natural stone, whether setts, flags or bound stone, suits character properties and period homes where a manufactured look would feel out of place. It is a premium choice, and the laying system underneath determines how well it drains and lasts.
What is the cheapest driveway surface?
Loose gravel is generally the cheapest to lay, because the materials are simple and the installation is quick. Tarmac usually follows as the most cost-efficient hard surface, with block paving and resin-bound at the upper end. Ranges are a starting point, though. Total cost depends on:
- Area: the number of square meters is the biggest multiplier.
- Ground conditions: soft ground, tree roots or old surfaces to dig out add work.
- Sub-base and drainage: a proper sub-base and drainage plan is where a driveway’s longevity comes from, and it is not the place to save.
- Edgings, drop kerb and widening: each adds labor and materials.
- Access: tight access for machinery slows the job.
Cheapest to install is not always cheapest over the years. A surface that needs frequent topping up, weeding or re-sanding carries a running cost, and one that fails because the base was skimped costs most of all. Our guide to the lowest-maintenance driveway surfaces looks at that side.
Environmentally friendly driveway options
The greenest driveway is usually the one that lets rain soak into the ground instead of racing into the drains. Government guidance says permeable driveways can add value, be better for the environment and do not necessarily cost more or demand much maintenance.
The practical eco-friendly choices are:
- Resin-bound gravel, which is highly permeable when laid on a suitable base.
- Permeable block paving, where water passes through joints into a stone sub-base.
- Gravel, with a stabilizing grid if needed, and a hard strip at the entrance.
- Porous asphalt, laid by a specialist.
- A conventional surface with drainage to a lawn or border, which counts as a permeable approach for planning.
Permeable surfaces need an open-graded sub-base that lets water through or holds it temporarily if the ground cannot absorb it as fast as it rains, according to Uttlesford’s householder guide. That is the part you cannot see on a brochure photo, and it is why clay soils common around Gloucestershire deserve a proper look before a surface is chosen.
Planning rules for driveway surfaces in England
This is the answer to “what is the new rule for driveways?” The rule is not new, but it is often missed. In England you do not need planning permission to lay a new or replacement driveway of any size if it uses permeable surfacing or sends rainwater to a lawn or border. If more than 5 square meters is covered with a traditional impermeable surface that does not drain to a permeable area, you do need permission.
Two more points:
- Listed buildings, conservation areas and Article 4 Directions may need planning permission or listed building consent, and some Article 4 Directions restrict works that are normally exempt. Ask your council before you order.
- Scotland applies similar measures to paving of any size between a house and a street, as the RHS front garden advice notes.
A new vehicle crossing over the pavement is a separate matter handled by the highway authority. Our guide to driveway entrance design covers layouts, rules and materials at the gate.
How to choose: a short decision guide
- Start with use. Two family cars and a van on a daily basis point to tarmac or block paving. A quiet drive for one car gives you freedom to choose on looks.
- Check the drainage. Where does the water go? If the answer is the road, choose a permeable surface or plan a drain to a border.
- Look at the slope and ground. Steep gradients and heavy clay both limit permeable systems.
- Think about repairs. Block paving repairs block by block. Resin-bound patches show. Tarmac can be patched or resurfaced.
- Match the house. Natural stone and block paving suit period homes, resin-bound suits contemporary ones, and tarmac suits a no-nonsense, durable setup.
- Price the whole job, including base, edging and drainage, not just the surface per m².
Homeowners generally decide on budget, taste and how the drive will be used, which is the same conclusion Ideal Home reaches: resin-bound for a smooth, low-maintenance finish, block paving for design choice and easy repairs.
Our perspective on choosing a surface
We see the same mistake on a lot of driveway enquiries around Cheltenham and Gloucester: the surface is chosen first and the water is thought about last. Looks are what people picture, but drainage and the base underneath decide whether a drive still looks good in ten years.
That is why we do a free site visit before quoting anything. We look at the slope, the ground, where rain will run and what vehicles will use the drive, then give a fixed written quote that sets out the scope of work and materials. There are no surprises later, and you deal with one point of contact from start to finish.
We also give honest advice on repair versus replacement. Sometimes a worn surface needs patching or a drainage fix. When it needs a full replacement, we say so and show you why. Block paving, resin-bound, tarmac and natural stone each have a place, and our job is to match the right one to your property.
Trey
Get a fixed quote for your driveway
We design and install block paving, resin-bound, tarmac and natural stone driveways for homes and businesses across Cheltenham and Gloucester, and we also handle repairs, widening, drainage solutions and full replacements. Every job starts with a free site visit and ends with a fixed written quote.
To talk through your options, see our driveway services and request a site visit. Browse more guides on our driveway advice blog.
FAQ
What is the best type of driveway to have?
There is no single best surface. Tarmac is the practical, cost-efficient choice for heavy use, block paving gives the most design choice and easy repairs, and resin-bound gives a smooth, permeable finish. Pick on budget, appearance and how you use the drive, then check the drainage.
What are the downsides of permeable tarmac?
Porous asphalt is a specialist product, and government guidance says it should be provided and laid by a specialist company. It also needs an open sub-base designed to carry water away, so it costs more to get right than a standard surface. Poor installation undermines the drainage benefit.
Do I need planning permission for a new driveway?
In England, not if the surface is permeable or the rainwater drains to a lawn or border. An impermeable surface over 5 m² that does not drain to a permeable area does need permission. Listed buildings and conservation areas can have tighter rules, so ask your council first.
What is the cheapest driveway to build?
Loose gravel is generally the cheapest to lay, with tarmac the most cost-efficient hard surface. Block paving and resin-bound cost more because of the detailed installation. The base, drainage and area of your site affect the final figure, which is why we quote after a site visit.
Sources
- Driveway materials explained, pros, cons and costs (Ideal Home)
- Resin vs gravel driveways (Ideal Home)
- Driveways, a guide for householders (Uttlesford District Council)
- Front Driveway Guidance (Gravesham Borough Council)
- Guidance on the permeable surfacing of front gardens (GOV.UK, PDF)
- Guidance on the permeable surfacing of front gardens (GOV.UK)
- South Yorkshire interim local guidance for sustainable drainage systems
- Frequently asked questions for planning (Rother District Council)
- Front Gardens and Permeable Paving (RHS)