Driveway installation in Sawbridgeworth

What kind of homes are in Sawbridgeworth?

Sawbridgeworth is a small town on the River Stort, right on the border with Essex. Its old centre, around Bell Street, Knight Street and London Road, has timber-framed cottages, Georgian frontages and former coaching inns, many of them listed, and the centre is a conservation area. Away from the middle, much of the town is made up of twentieth-century estates and later cul-de-sacs, with semi-detached and detached houses set back behind front gardens.

Can I have a driveway in the old centre?

Often there is no room. Many of the older houses open straight onto the pavement, so parking is on the street. Where there is a front garden or yard, a listed building or a property in the conservation area needs extra care. Changes to walls, railings and historic paving can need consent, and a plain modern surface may look out of place beside old brick. A clay paver, a gravel finish or setts tend to sit more comfortably, but the district council should be asked before anything is planned.

What about the estates?

This is where most new drives are built. A lawn in front of a 1960s or 1970s house is often turned into parking for one or two cars. As long as the new surface is permeable, or the rain drains to a border or lawn inside the boundary, a house's front garden can usually be paved without planning permission. Where an older concrete drive is being replaced, the same rule applies to the new surface.

Some estates have grass verges or wide footways between the garden and the road. A crossing over those needs the approval of Hertfordshire County Council before any car uses it.

Are there trees to think about?

Mature trees line many of the older roads and gardens, and some are in the conservation area or covered by tree preservation orders. Roots can spread well beyond a tree's branches, so a drive close to one may need a shallower design or a grid. If in doubt, ask East Herts District Council about a tree's status before digging.

Does Sawbridgeworth's soil make a difference?

Much of the area is on clay, which can hold water after heavy rain. A permeable drive needs a base that lets water soak away, and on heavy ground an installer may suggest a soakaway or a drained border as well.

What happens when I enquire from Sawbridgeworth?

You send one form. With your consent, it goes to one local driveway installer who covers your postcode, and to no one else. If nobody does, we let you know and keep your details to ourselves.