Block Paving in Newport Pagnell

Newport Pagnell sits where the River Lovat joins the Great Ouse, and the meeting of the two valleys shapes the town. Some homes are on higher ground, others closer to the rivers where the soil can stay damp after heavy rain. That makes drainage one of the first things we look at before planning a block paving driveway here.

Permeable block paving is designed for exactly this kind of setting. The blocks have wider joints filled with fine stone rather than sand, and they sit on a deep layer of open graded stone that holds water and lets it soak away slowly. On the right ground, it can take rain from the drive itself and reduce the amount running onto the road. Where the soil drains poorly, we may combine it with an outlet to a soakaway or a drain.

The town has a mix of older homes around the High Street and newer estates on the outskirts. Older properties may have small frontages with limited access, while newer homes often have wider drives built for two or more cars. Each needs a base designed for the load, with a well compacted stone layer that stops the blocks from sinking in the wheel tracks.

• Permeable designs for damper, lower ground
• Deep sub-base to stop rutting
• Outlets to soakaways or drains where needed

Every drive is finished with firm edging to keep the blocks tight. Milton Keynes City Council is the planning authority for the town, and a permeable surface, or one that drains to your own garden, usually avoids the need for permission on a front drive. The centre of the town is a conservation area, so it is worth checking with the council before altering boundaries there.

Commuting along the routes towards the M1 means many households now run more than one car, so a drive that once held a single vehicle often needs room for two or three. Widening into the front garden is common, and we lay the extension on the same depth of base so the old and new parts settle and wear in the same way.