In Solihull, a resin driveway usually replaces something. It might be a 1980s block drive in Monkspath that has sunk in the wheel tracks, a cracked tarmac drive on a Shirley semi, or a gravel sweep in Dorridge that sends stones into the road. Resin-bound suits all three, but the borough's heavy clay decides how the base has to be built, and the council has firm views on where the water goes.
Ground and Gate doesn't do the work. We pass your enquiry to one local driveway specialist who covers the B90 to B94, B36 and B37 postcodes, and they confirm a fixed price with you directly.
What resin driveways cost in Solihull
| Job | Indicative price |
|---|---|
| Resin-bound on a new base, per m² | £75–£115 |
| Resin-bound over sound tarmac or concrete, per m² | £55–£80 |
| Digging out a lawn for a new base, per m² | £10–£18 |
| Edgings, per metre | £25–£45 |
| Two-car drive over sound tarmac (about 30m²) | £2,200–£3,390 |
| Two-car drive on grass, new base (about 30m²) | £3,100–£4,980 |
These are our standard West Midlands ranges. In Solihull, many drives are larger than the 30m² examples. A detached house in Knowle or Dorridge can easily have 80m² or more, which is why drives over 100m² get a site visit. Where an older tarmac drive is still level and sound, an overlay keeps the cost near the bottom of the range. The block paving vs resin cost guide compares the two line by line.
What pushes the price up here
- A new base on clay. If the existing drive has failed, the dig-out and a new permeable base cost more on clay, because the sub-base often needs to be deeper to store water.
- Old block paving. Resin can't go straight over blocks. The blocks come up first, which adds labour and waste.
- Edges and shape. Curved drives and long borders on bigger plots mean more trim and more cutting in.
- Drainage. A channel drain or an overflow to a border is priced separately where the base can't hold the water. See drainage and soakaways.
- Access. No room for a mixer near the drive adds about 15–20%.
Clay, soakaways and Solihull's drainage rules
Solihull Council is the Lead Local Flood Authority for the borough, responsible for surface water, groundwater and small watercourses. Its SuDS design guide, written for developers, says the borough has predominantly clay soils that are unsuitable for infiltration. Where a soakaway is proposed, the council wants full soakage tests to BRE Digest 365, and it says it won't accept extrapolated infiltration rates.
That guide is aimed at new developments, but the lesson for a front drive is the same. A soakaway pit dug into Solihull clay may fill and stay full. Resin-bound on a permeable base works differently: water passes through the resin into the stone sub-base, which stores it and lets it drain away slowly. On heavy clay a good installer may make that sub-base deeper or add an overflow. The council's guide also says permeable paving is encouraged for parking areas.
If you want advice on a flooding problem rather than a design, the council takes general flood-risk and drainage enquiries at drainage@solihull.gov.uk.
The 5m² rule and Solihull's dropped kerbs
Nationally, a new or replacement front drive over 5m² needs planning permission unless it is permeable or drains to a lawn or border on your own land. Our 5m² rule guide covers it in full. Resin-bound only counts as permeable if the base beneath it is permeable too. An overlay on old tarmac is only as permeable as that tarmac.
Solihull ties this to its kerb process. The council's dropped-kerb guidance notes say:
- a suitable permeable hardstanding must be built before the council lowers the kerb, and you must confirm it is in place when you pay
- the drive must be built so water does not drain from it across the footway
- loose gravel is allowed only behind a 2-metre apron of hardstanding at the pavement edge
- you need at least 5.5 metres of depth from the footway to the house or any permanent fixture
If you need a new kerb as well as a new drive, the Solihull driveways page sets out fees and timings.
Conservation areas: White House Way
White House Way, a 1960s estate off Blossomfield Road, has been a conservation area since 1999, and its houses have an Article 4 direction. The council's 2026 appraisal names the introduction of block paving to replace tarmac drives as one of the small changes that erode the estate's character. That doesn't ban a new surface, but it does mean you should ask the planners at planning@solihull.gov.uk before choosing a finish there. In the other conservation areas, such as Knowle, Olton and Malvern Hall and Brueton Avenue, a low front wall often has to come out to widen a drive. Taking down a wall 1 metre or more high next to the road needs planning permission inside a conservation area.
What the job involves
- Survey. The specialist checks whether the old drive is sound enough to overlay, and how the falls and drainage work.
- Base. Either the old surface is repaired and primed, or the drive is dug out and a new permeable base laid, deeper where the clay needs it.
- Edges and laying. Trims or block borders go in, then the resin and stone are mixed in batches and trowelled to an even depth in one go.
- Curing. You can walk on it within hours and drive on it after a day or two. Resin can't be laid in rain, so dates can move.
Questions about resin driveways in Solihull
Will Solihull lower my kerb before my resin drive is finished?
No. The council's guidance notes say a permeable hardstanding must be built before its contractor builds the crossing, and you confirm it is in place when you pay. Plan the drive first and book the kerb around it.
Is a soakaway worth it under a resin drive in Shirley?
Often not on its own. Solihull's drainage guide says most of the borough is clay that is unsuitable for infiltration, and it wants proper soakage tests before relying on a soakaway. A permeable sub-base that stores water, with an overflow if needed, is usually the better plan.
Can I keep a gravel strip next to resin on a Dorridge drive?
Yes, but if the drive meets a council crossing, Solihull wants a 2-metre apron of hardstanding between the pavement and the start of any loose gravel. That stops stones being carried onto the footway.
Can I resurface my drive on White House Way?
You can ask, but check with the planners first. The estate has an Article 4 direction, and the council's appraisal lists replacing tarmac drives with block paving among the changes that erode its character.