Driveways in Kidderminster

Driveways on Kidderminster housing

Kidderminster is built largely on sandstone, and the sandy ground across much of the town takes water far better than the clay we deal with around Bromsgrove or Droitwich. That makes a permeable resin bound drive an easy fit here, and soakaways generally work. What it does not change is the sub-base: sand moves under load if it is not confined and compacted, so the dig, the compacted stone and the edge restraint are still what decide whether the surface stays flat.

On the estates at Comberton, Habberley and Franche the original hardstandings have mostly sunk or cracked, and the job is a full replacement rather than a patch.

On the Victorian terraces near the centre the request is usually turning a small front garden into a hardstanding, which means a dropped kerb application to Worcestershire County Council as the highway authority and a permeable surface to stay within permitted development. Some of the older streets will not get a dropped kerb at all, and we find that out before you spend money on a design.

Resin bound is the most requested finish for a frontage on show; tarmac suits a large or shared drive; block paving suits the older houses. Nearer the Stour and at Stourport the ground is lower and wetter, and the drainage is designed for it.