Paving your front garden

Do you need planning permission to pave your front garden?

Specific rules apply for householders wanting to pave over their front garden.

You will not need planning permission if a new or replacement driveway of any size uses permeable (or porous) surfacing which allows water to drain through, such as gravel, permeable concrete block paving or porous asphalt, or if the rainwater is directed to a lawn or border to drain naturally.

If the surface to be covered is more than five square metres planning permission will be needed for laying traditional, impermeable driveways that do not provide for the water to run to a permeable area.

Read more about important issues to consider and more detailed practical advice in 'Guidance on the permeable surfacing of front gardens' from Gov.uk¹.

Please note: The permitted development allowances described here apply to houses and not to:

• Flats and maisonettes (view our guidance on flats and maisonettes²) 
• Converted houses or houses created through the ‘permitted development’ rights for:
  • ‘Changes of use’ (Schedule 2, Part 3, Classes G; M; MA; N; P; PA and Q) (as detailed in our change of use section³)
  • ‘New Dwellinghouses’ (Schedule 2, Part 20)
• Other buildings
• Areas where there may be a planning condition, Article 4 Direction or other restriction that limits permitted development rights.

Also note that these rules only cover your front garden. Any other work such as fences, walls and gates⁴ or a dropped kerb may require planning permission. There are also different rules for patios and driveways that are not part of a front garden⁵.

Dropping kerbs

A dropped kerb is a lowered sloping access point in the pavement and is required if you wish to drive over a pavement onto your property, it is illegal to do so without one. You will have to make a dropped kerb application to your local authority if you wish to drop a kerb.

You can read more about the topic on our Dropped Kerbs common project.⁶

Read useful advice from the Health and Safety Executive about Getting your project done safely⁷.

1. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/permeable-surfacing-of-front-gardens-guidance
2. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/flats-and-maisonettes/introduction
3. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/change-of-use/use-classes
4. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/fences-gates-and-garden-walls
5. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/patio-and-driveway
6. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/dropped-kerbs/what-is-a-dropped-kerb
7. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/external-walls/getting-your-job-done-safely