Resin Bound Driveways in Stony Stratford

Stony Stratford grew as a coaching town on Watling Street, and its High Street still has a long run of Georgian and earlier frontages. Behind and around that historic core are Victorian and interwar houses, and beyond them the newer estates that came with the growth of Milton Keynes. That spread means driveway questions here vary a lot, from a narrow side entrance off an older street to a double width drive on a family home built in the last few decades.

Resin bound suits many of those situations because it can be shaped to fit awkward spaces and needs no joints. What decides the build is the ground beneath. If an existing tarmac or concrete drive is solid and level, it may be reused as a base after cleaning and repair. If it has sunk, cracked through or been lifted for pipes and cables, a new permeable base is the reliable route. We explain our reasoning on site so you understand the recommendation.

The River Great Ouse runs along the northern edge of the town, and low lying ground near the river can be slow to drain after heavy rain. That is one reason permeable surfaces make sense here. A resin bound drive over a permeable base lets rainwater pass down through the stone into the ground below, instead of channelling it towards the road or the house.

• Older plots with tight or irregular access
• Modern drives on newer estates
• Permeable builds for ground near the river

Planning sits with Milton Keynes City Council. As a general rule for front gardens, a permeable surface, or one draining onto your own lawn or beds, does not need permission, while a non-permeable surface larger than five square metres draining to the road usually does. The historic centre of Stony Stratford is a conservation area, so anyone living in or near it should check with the council before changing the front of the property.