Guide
Do you need planning permission for a resin driveway?
Usually not. In England a front driveway is permitted development if the surface is porous, or if rainwater drains to a lawn, border or soakaway within your property. A permeable resin bound build meets that test. A dropped kerb is separate and always needs council consent.
What is the 5 m² rule?
Since October 2008, paving more than 5 m² of a front garden in England with a surface that sends water onto the road has needed planning permission. Surfaces that let water through, or that drain to a permeable area inside your boundary, are permitted development for houses.
Relaying an existing drive counts too, so replacing an old impermeable drive with a new one should meet the same conditions.
Is resin bound automatically permeable?
The resin bound layer is permeable, but the whole build needs to let water through. Resin bound laid on old sealed concrete still sheds water. A permeable build uses an open-graded stone sub-base and a porous binder course, or drains to a soakaway or border on your land.
What about Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?
Wales and Scotland have their own permitted development rules built on the same principle: porous surfaces, or drainage to a permeable area within the property. Northern Ireland has its own permitted development order for houses with conditions on hard surfacing.
In Wales, new construction with drainage implications of 100 m² or more can also need approval from the council's SuDS Approving Body (SAB). Most domestic drives are smaller, but large drives and extensions are checked.
When do I need to apply anyway?
Flats and maisonettes do not have the same permitted development rights. Some conservation areas have Article 4 directions that remove them. Listed buildings can need consent where railings, walls or historic surfaces are affected. A new access onto a classified road can need planning permission.
Do I need permission for a dropped kerb?
Yes, always. A dropped kerb (vehicle crossover) needs consent from the highway authority (your council, or DfI Roads in Northern Ireland), and the work in the footway is done by that authority or an approved contractor. Driving across a pavement without one is an offence.
General information for UK homeowners, not legal or professional advice for your specific property.
