Gravel Driveways in Kents Hill

Many Kents Hill drives were laid when the estate was built, and many work perfectly well for one or two cars. Where families now need a little more space, the simplest answer is often not to replace the whole drive but to add a gravel area beside it. A strip alongside the existing paving, a space where a front lawn used to be, or a hard area for bins and bikes can all be surfaced in gravel and tied neatly into what is already there.

Gravel is well suited to this kind of extension because it does not need to match the colour of older blocks or tarmac. Chosen carefully, it sits alongside them as a deliberate contrast. It also costs less to lay than most bound surfaces, which matters when you are adding to a drive rather than replacing it.

Building the new area. We dig out the lawn or planting to a depth that suits the ground and the vehicle, lay a compacted crushed stone base and cover it with a weed membrane. Where a car will park on the new section, we lay honeycomb grids so the stone does not shift or rut. A firm edge is set between the gravel and the existing drive, so the two surfaces meet cleanly and the paving is not undermined.

Kents Hill homes sit in an area of mixed clay soils, so we check how freely the ground drains during the visit. Gravel is permeable, so rainwater soaks through rather than adding to the run off from the existing drive. That usually keeps the extension within the front garden rules Milton Keynes City Council applies to new hard surfaces.

Some estates also have covenants or management rules about front gardens. If your deeds mention anything like this, it is worth checking before the work starts. We can describe the plans in writing so you have something clear to send.