Drainage is part of the driveway design, not an optional finishing detail. Check planning and highway requirements before signing a contract.
Front garden surfacing and planning permission
For houses in England, Planning Portal guidance states that a new or replacement front driveway can normally be installed without planning permission when it uses a permeable surface or directs rainwater to a lawn or border. Traditional impermeable surfacing over more than five square metres may require planning permission when runoff is not directed to a permeable area.
Different rules can apply to flats, maisonettes, listed buildings, conservation areas and properties with restricted permitted-development rights. Always check the current position with the relevant local planning authority.
Drainage options
- Permeable gravel or permeable block systems
- Porous asphalt or a correctly designed resin-bound system
- Falls towards a lawn, border or other permeable area
- Linear drainage channels at thresholds and boundaries
- Soakaways or infiltration systems where ground conditions permit
Drainage should not simply discharge onto the public highway, neighbouring land or towards the building.
Dropped kerbs
A dropped kerb or vehicle crossing allows a vehicle to cross the pavement from the road to the property. GOV.UK directs householders to their local council because application criteria, fees and approved-contractor rules vary.
Do not assume a driveway quotation includes the highway crossing. Ask whether the installer handles the application and whether planning consent is needed first.