Resin Bound Driveways in Fenny Stratford

Fenny Stratford grew up where Watling Street crossed the River Ouzel, and the Grand Union Canal later added a lock and wharf to the picture. The result is an older core of Victorian brick terraces and cottages, with later housing spreading out around it. Plenty of homes here have little or no front garden, so the question is often less about a large driveway and more about a tidy parking space, a side passage or a rear yard.

Resin bound gravel works well in tight spaces. It is trowelled by hand, so it can follow awkward shapes, curve around a bay window and finish neatly against a doorstep. Because every stone is coated and fixed, nothing is kicked onto the pavement or carried indoors, which matters when the front door opens almost straight onto the drive.

Low ground is the other local factor. Land beside the Ouzel and the canal sits lower than much of Milton Keynes, and some of it is mapped as being at risk of flooding. We would never claim a driveway can stop flooding, but a permeable surface on a porous base does let everyday rain soak away rather than adding to run-off along the street. Where the soil underneath drains slowly, we plan the base depth and any drainage at the edges accordingly.

• Existing base: an old tarmac or concrete surface can sometimes stay as the base if it is sound and level.
• New base: where it has broken up or holds water, we dig out and build a permeable sub-base first.
• Edges: firm edging keeps the resin contained against walls, kerbs and neighbouring paving.

Fenny Stratford falls under Milton Keynes City Council. Parts of the old town centre are covered by a conservation area, so if your home is in or near it, check with the council before changing the front of the property. Outside such areas, the usual guide applies: a permeable front surface, or one that drains to your own garden, generally needs no permission.