Block Paving in Fenny Stratford

Many homes in Fenny Stratford have modest front gardens, and some have barely enough room to tuck one car off the street. On a space that small every block is on show, so cutting, levels and the line where the drive meets the pavement matter more than they would on a large plot. We plan the layout so cut pieces sit at the edges rather than in the middle, and so the surface falls gently away from the house.

Block paving suits these tight spaces because it can follow awkward shapes, curve round a bay or step in around a meter box without looking patched. It also allows small areas to be lifted later, which is useful in streets where utility work is common.

Low ground needs a good base. The town sits close to the River Ouzel and the Grand Union Canal, and some plots are on low, damp ground. Where the subsoil stays wet for long periods we build a deeper layer of compacted stone and check that water has somewhere to go, either into a soakaway, a border or a drainage channel at the boundary. A small drive that holds water against the house or the front step is not a job done well, however neat the blocks look.

On short frontages the edging does a lot of work. A kerb set in concrete along the pavement side stops the blocks being pushed outwards each time a car mounts the drive, and a firm edge against the house or wall stops them drifting the other way. We check whether any existing edging is sound enough to keep before deciding what to replace.

If you are paving over a front garden, the drainage rule for hard surfaces still applies, even on a small plot over five square metres. Choosing permeable block paving, or falls that run into planting, usually avoids the need for planning permission from Milton Keynes City Council. Parts of Fenny Stratford fall within a conservation area, so if your home is in one it is sensible to ask the council before you commit to a design.