Driveways and patios in Harlow
Block paving, resin, tarmac and patios across Harlow and Old Harlow, laid to the council's open front parking rules. Pick your job on the price card for a guide figure.
What are you looking to have done?
Two quick questions and you'll see a guide price.
Which surface for your driveway?
Not sure? Pick the closest; Tom talks through the options on the survey.
Block paving: roughly what size?
A typical two-car drive is 40 to 50 m². A guess is fine; the free survey measures it properly.
Guide price
Pick a surface
Guide range. Larger areas come in lower per m²; the free survey fixes the price in writing.
Our typical rates per square metre
- Block paving: around £130
- Tumbled paving: around £150
- Resin bound: around £200
- Tarmac: around £130
- Imprinted concrete: around £130
- Gravel: priced on the phone
- Indian sandstone: around £180
- Porcelain: around £200
We lay driveways and patios across Harlow: block paving, resin bound, tarmac, imprinted concrete and gravel drives, Indian sandstone and porcelain patios, and garden landscaping, from Old Harlow and Mark Hall to Great Parndon, Church Langley and Newhall.
We're based in Colchester, about 43 miles away by the A120 and the M11, and Tom comes out to Harlow to measure up and quote in person. The price goes in writing before anything is dug up, and the guarantees are the same wherever we work: 10 years in writing on block paving, resin and patios, 5 years on tarmac and gravel.
In Harlow most front drives start with the council's open front parking consent, not the paving. See what's different about a drive in Harlow further down.
Driveways, patios and gardens across Harlow
Eight services, one team. Every job in Harlow starts with a free survey and a written quote, and every installation carries a written guarantee.
Block paving
10-year written guarantee
Herringbone, basketweave or stretcher bond on a compacted MOT Type 1 sub-base, with concrete-haunched edges and a soldier-course border. Standard or tumbled blocks.
Block paving
Resin driveways
10-year written guarantee
Resin bound only, never bonded. UV-stable resin and natural aggregate hand-trowelled to 18mm over a solid base. Walk on it after 24 hours, park on it after 48.
Resin driveways
Patios
10-year written guarantee
Indian sandstone, porcelain, tumbled block paving or granite setts on a compacted hardcore base and semi-dry mortar bed, with falls away from the house. Steps and raised beds too.
Patios
Tarmac driveways
5-year written guarantee
Hot-mix asphalt laid as a binder course then a wearing course over MOT Type 1, with drainage falls and a block paving border if you want one. Usually done in one to two days.
Tarmac driveways
Imprinted concrete
Written guarantee
Pattern-imprinted concrete driveways and paths, poured in one piece and stamped in your pattern and colour, then sealed. No joints for weeds to take hold in.
Imprinted concrete
Gravel driveways
5-year written guarantee
Gravel held in a cellular grid over a weed membrane, so it stays off the road and drains properly. Pea gravel, slate chips or Cotswold stone with timber, brick or granite edging.
Gravel driveways
Cleaning and resealing
Priced on the survey
Block paving and patios pressure cleaned, re-sanded and resealed. Tarmac drives recoloured and resealed. The cheap way to make an old drive look new again.
Cleaning and resealing
Landscaping
Project guarantee
Paths, walls, steps, drainage, turf, artificial grass, sleeper raised beds, planting, fencing and decking. One team from clearance to the finished garden.
Landscaping
What's different about a drive in Harlow
A New Town planned with open front gardens, so the rules come before the paving. Here's what's worth knowing before you plan a drive.
From our yard to yours
From Colchester to Harlow on the M11: About 43 miles · about an hour without traffic, by the A120 and the M11
Harlow was designated a New Town in 1947 and built to Frederick Gibberd's plan: self-contained neighbourhoods, each with its own homes, shops, schools and green space, and green wedges running into the centre. Most of the town is 1950s and 60s two-storey terraces and maisonettes, from Mark Hall, the first neighbourhood, out to Kingsmoor and Sumners in the 1960s and 70s, with Church Langley and Newhall added since.
The plan kept people and cars apart and gave most homes open front gardens, protected by covenants the council still controls. That is why a front drive in Harlow starts with the council's open front parking consent. In 2025 the council set out to add more than 1,000 parking spaces on its estates, partly by clearing unused garages and hardstandings.
Good to know in Harlow
- Open front parking: Harlow Council's consent
- To park on a front garden you need the council's open front parking consent: a £102 fee, a bay of 5.5 m by 2.9 m, no more than 75% of the garden paved, proper drainage and sight lines, and two neighbours' signatures. A decision takes 5 to 8 weeks.
- Then the dropped kerb
- The kerb is a separate application to Essex County Council through Essex Highways, once the council's consent is in place. The parking space must be at least 5 m deep and 2.5 m wide. We lay the drive to meet the new kerb.
- Article 4 streets and conservation areas
- Every house in Mark Hall North (since 28 October 2023) and named streets in Old Harlow (since 2012) need planning permission for a hardstanding. Harlow has ten conservation areas, from Old Harlow and Churchgate Street to Tye Green.
- Boulder clay over London Clay
- Much of the high ground is boulder clay with glacial gravels, over London Clay and Claygate Beds, and the town drains to the Stort. The council's consent asks for proper drainage, and so does a drive on clay.
Places we cover in and around Harlow
Not listed? Call 01279 294082 and ask.
Old HarlowCM17 0
The historic village, where Chippingfield, the first New Town estate of 120 houses, was started in 1949.
- Old Harlow is a conservation area, and named streets there have needed planning permission for a hardstanding since 2012.
- Churchgate Street and Harlowbury are conservation areas too.
Mark HallCM20 3
The first neighbourhood: Mark Hall North was complete by 1954, with The Lawn tower block from 1951.
- Every house in Mark Hall North has needed planning permission for a hardstanding since 28 October 2023.
- Mark Hall North is a conservation area.
NetteswellCM20 3
Nearly complete by 1954, beside the Town Park.
- Netteswellbury and Town Park Netteswell Cross are conservation areas.
Little ParndonCM20 1
Started in 1955; Upper Park had the first New Town homes built for sale, in the mid-1950s.
Great Parndon and PassmoresCM19 4
Both under construction in 1960, on the west side of the town.
Potter StreetCM17 9
Building was under way in 1954, on the south-east side of the town.
- Tye Green, to the west, is a conservation area.
Kingsmoor and SumnersCM19 4
The later neighbourhoods: Kingsmoor and Stewards mainly 1965 to 1974, Sumners and Katherines from 1974.
Church Langley and NewhallCM17 9
The newer east side: Church Langley's 3,500 homes, completed by 2001, and Newhall from the 2000s.
- Newhall's first 500 homes were finished by 2009, with about 2,300 more planned.
1. Old Harlow2. Mark Hall3. Netteswell4. Little Parndon5. Great Parndon and Passmores6. Potter Street7. Kingsmoor and Sumners8. Church Langley and NewhallRecent work across Essex
Eight jobs from our own photos. Every one was laid by our team.
Block paving
Charcoal herringbone, buff chevron border
Resin driveways
Silver resin bound drive, charcoal edging
Patios
Grey block patio with steps
Block paving
Charcoal herringbone, curved border
Resin driveways
Golden resin, red brick border
Landscaping
Resin patio and artificial grass
Block paving
Interlocking diamond pattern in charcoal pavers
Block paving
Herringbone with drainage channel
Block paving, resin, tarmac, patios and landscaping, before and after.
What customers say
Verbatim from Google. Names as they appear on the review.
4.9 from 30 Google reviews5.0 from 90 on Yell5.0 from 16 on Facebook
Jon Curson
August 2019 · Block paving
Would highly recommend. Thomas and his team removed our old concrete driveway then replaced and extended with block paving, all within 3 days. The end result looks great.
charlie willis-foreman
April 2025 · Porcelain patio
Just had these boys round to do my porcalin slabs in my garden and if I could I'd give these boys 6 stars , most friendly and hard working boys I've ever set eyes on. Also these boys smashed out breaking my concrete base for my shed and re concreted within the day.
Richard Parker
December 2023 · Driveway
This was a big task on a long wide driveway. The team were careful in the extensive preparatory work, not rushing any part of the process, and working steadily each day. The team leader was responsive to questions and clarified what they were doing at each stage and why. They obviously were concerned to do the work to a high standard. We are delighted with the result.
Why Harlow homeowners choose First4Driveways
What customers mention in their reviews, and what we put in writing.
Tom quotes in person
He comes out to Harlow to measure up and talk it through. Nine Google reviewers mention him by name.
Guarantees in writing
10 years on block paving, resin and patios, 5 on tarmac and gravel, handed over with the job.
Built on a proper base
Compacted MOT Type 1, proper edges and drainage falls under every drive.
Insured, tidy, on time
Public liability cover on every job. Reviewers mention sites cleared away and work done when promised.
Harlow questions
Straight answers for homeowners in Harlow.
Do I need permission to park on my front garden in Harlow?
Usually, yes. Most Harlow homes carry covenants the council controls, so you need its open front parking consent: a £102 fee, a bay of 5.5 m by 2.9 m, no more than 75% of the garden paved, proper drainage, clear sight lines and two neighbours' signatures. A decision takes 5 to 8 weeks, and the dropped kerb is a separate application after that.
Do you cover all of Harlow?
Yes: Old Harlow and every neighbourhood, from Mark Hall, Netteswell and Little Parndon to Great Parndon, Potter Street, Kingsmoor, Sumners, Church Langley and Newhall. Not listed? Call and ask.
How far is Harlow from your base?
We're based in Colchester, about 43 miles away by the A120 and the M11: about an hour without traffic. The survey and the written quote are still free in Harlow.
Do I need planning permission for a new drive in Harlow?
On most streets, not for the paving itself, as long as the rain doesn't run off onto the road. But every house in Mark Hall North, and named streets in Old Harlow, need planning permission for a hardstanding, and the open front parking consent is needed on top in most of the town.
Can I get a dropped kerb for my Harlow driveway?
Once the council's open front parking consent is in place, you apply to Essex County Council through Essex Highways for the kerb. The parking space has to be at least 5 m deep and 2.5 m wide. We lay the drive to meet the new kerb.
How much does a new driveway cost in Harlow?
The same as anywhere we work: around £130 per m² for block paving or tarmac, around £200 for resin bound, and larger areas come in lower per m². The price card gives you a guide in seconds.
Other areas we cover
Based in Colchester, working across Essex and Hertfordshire. These towns have their own pages.
Colchester
Our base. Every service, across the town and the villages around it.
Our base
Chelmsford
Block paving, resin driveways and patios across Chelmsford. Free survey and written quote.
Driveways in Chelmsford
Braintree
About 16 miles from our Colchester base. Driveways, patios and landscaping with the same written guarantee.
Driveways in Braintree
Hertford
Driveways, patios and landscaping across Hertford, Ware and the Hertfordshire villages around them.
Driveways in Hertford
St Albans
Block paving, resin driveways and patios across St Albans, Harpenden and the villages. Free survey and written quote.
Driveways in St Albans
Bishop's Stortford
About 36 miles from our Colchester base along the A120. Driveways, patios and landscaping with the same written guarantee.
Driveways in Bishop's Stortford
Southend
Block paving, resin driveways and patios from Leigh-on-Sea to Shoeburyness. Free survey and written quote.
Driveways in Southend
Brentwood
About 37 miles down the A12. Driveways and patios across Brentwood, Shenfield, Hutton and Ingatestone.
Driveways in Brentwood
Stevenage
Block paving, resin driveways and patios from the Old Town to Great Ashby. Free survey and written quote.
Driveways in Stevenage
Cambridge
Driveways, patios and landscaping across Cambridge and its villages, with the same written guarantee.
Driveways in Cambridge
Also covering: Witham, Clacton-on-Sea, Maldon, Halstead, Basildon, Billericay, Wickford, Rayleigh, Saffron Walden, Burnham-on-Crouch and the villages between. Not listed? Call and ask.
Get a free quote
Let's talk about your drive or patio
First4Driveways is a family-run business based in Colchester. Tom comes out to quote every job in person, talks through the options and materials, and puts the price in writing before anything is dug up. Block paving, resin and patios carry a written 10-year workmanship guarantee; tarmac and gravel carry five years.
- Free survey and a written quote
- Written guarantee on every job
- Fully insured, public liability cover
- Family-run, based in Colchester
Need to talk now?
Call Tom directly
Start your free quote
Tell us about the drive or garden and we'll arrange a free survey.