Block Paving in Wavendon

A common request around Wavendon is a bigger drive. Many of the newer homes came with parking for one or two cars, and growing families soon need space for another vehicle without blocking the road. Extending into the front lawn with block paving is a neat way to do it, and it can be blended with an existing drive or replace it altogether.

The first question is what the developer laid. Some new-build drives have a thin surface over a limited base, which can be fine for light use but may not suit extra weight once it is extended. We look at what is already there, and where it makes sense we take the whole area back and build one consistent sub-base so the old and new parts behave the same way over time.

Planning for the extra water. Turning lawn into parking removes ground that used to soak up rain. If the new hard area drains onto the road and is over five square metres, planning permission is normally needed from Milton Keynes City Council. Choosing permeable block paving, where water passes through wider joints into an open stone base, or falling the drive towards a border, usually avoids that. On some newer estates there can also be restrictions in the title deeds, so it is worth checking those too.

Edging needs particular thought when a drive is extended. The point where new blocks meet old ones, or where the drive meets a footpath that belongs to the estate, must be held firmly so it does not open up. We set new edging in concrete and make sure the join between areas is supported underneath.

In the older part of the village, cottages and long established homes have very different frontages, often with walls, hedges and uneven levels. There, block paving is more about fitting in than gaining space, and we adjust the layout to suit.