Groundwork first, surface second
Driveways fail from the bottom up. We excavate to firm ground, compact a crushed-stone sub-base in layers and build in falls and drainage before any surface is laid.
Kerbs, edgings and drainage channels go in first, so the finished surface stays crisp, level and properly drained.
Driveways in Christchurch
Christchurch sits where the Stour and the Avon meet the harbour, and parts of the town are low-lying, so drainage needs particular care. Permeable surfaces such as resin-bound or permeable block paving, over a sub-base designed to hold and release water, keep rainwater off the road and away from the house.
Christchurch is in the BCP Council area, so planning questions and new dropped kerbs go to BCP Council, as they do in Bournemouth and Poole.
Across the rest of Dorset
Outside Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, Dorset Council is the authority for planning and for new dropped kerbs, which it calls vehicle crossings. We lay driveways throughout the county, including:
- Wimborne Minster, Ferndown, West Moors and Verwood
- Wareham, Swanage and the Purbeck villages
- Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester
- Bridport and Lyme Regis
- Blandford Forum, Sherborne, Shaftesbury and Gillingham
For longer rural driveways and farm entrances, tarmac or concrete over a well-drained base is usually the most practical choice. We can also build the entrance kerbs, drainage and any concrete bases for garages or outbuildings at the same time.
Choosing a surface
- Resin-bound: a smooth natural-stone finish that drains through when laid on a porous base.
- Tarmac: hard-wearing and good value, especially on long or wide drives.
- Block paving: the widest choice of colours and patterns, with permeable versions where drainage is tight.
- Concrete: a reinforced slab for the toughest, lowest-maintenance finish.
Planning permission
A new or replacement front driveway doesn’t need planning permission if it’s permeable or drains onto a lawn or border on your property. A non-permeable surface of more than five square metres that drains onto the road does. Listed buildings and some conservation areas have extra controls, so check with your council if either applies.
What happens on a driveway job
- Site visit to look at the ground, levels, access and drainage.
- Written quote for the dig-out, base, edgings, drainage and surface.
- Excavation and sub-base, compacted in layers to suit the ground.
- Surface and finishing, followed by a clean-up of the site.
Commercial standards, domestic driveways
Much of our work is for commercial clients such as Lidl, EG Group and the Ministry of Defence, on forecourts, car parks and highways. Your driveway gets the same crews, plant and attention to levels and drainage.
We’re based in Poole with a team of over 50 people, and our projects run from Weymouth to Salisbury.
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Dorset driveway questions
Which parts of Dorset do you cover?
All of it, from Christchurch, Ferndown and Wimborne in the east to Weymouth, Dorchester and Bridport in the west and Sherborne and Shaftesbury in the north. Bournemouth and Poole have their own pages: driveways in Bournemouth and driveways in Poole.
Who approves a dropped kerb in Dorset?
BCP Council in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, and Dorset Council everywhere else in the county. The approval has to be in place before any work on the pavement or verge starts.
What’s the best surface for a long rural driveway?
Tarmac is usually the most practical and cost-effective over a long distance, and concrete suits entrances that take farm or delivery vehicles. Resin-bound or block paving works well for the area nearest the house, where looks matter most.
Can you do the other groundwork at the same time?
Yes. As a groundworks contractor we can add drainage, soakaways, kerbs and edgings, and concrete bases for garages or outbuildings to the same job.
Do I need planning permission for a new driveway?
Not usually, if it’s permeable or drains onto your own garden. A non-permeable front driveway over five square metres that drains towards the road does need it.