Driveway Costs in Paignton 2026: What Tarmac, Resin and Block Paving Cost on Torbay's Slopes, Bungalows and Holiday Streets
Paignton's housing is different from Newton Abbot's, and so are its driveways. The town grew fastest between the wars and again in the 1960s, and its stock is dominated by two things: 1930s semis and detached houses in Preston and along the Torquay Road, and bungalow estates in Goodrington, Roselands and Collaton St Mary built for retirees from the 1950s onwards. Around 30% of Paignton's households are aged 65 or over, one of the highest proportions in Devon, and a good share of the remaining properties are holiday lets or houses that take in summer visitors, which means parking for two or three cars matters more here than almost anywhere in the county. A new driveway in Paignton costs £3,200 to £9,500 in 2026 for a typical 40 to 60 square metre frontage, and the surface, the slope and Torbay Council's drainage rules decide where in that range a job lands. Here is what each option costs on Paignton's streets and which suits which kind of property.
What Each Surface Costs per Square Metre in Paignton
Torbay prices sit a little above the Devon average because of access. Paignton's older streets are narrow, parking for a wagon delivering 20 tonnes of stone is limited, and a lot of the town is on a slope. Rough 2026 figures for a driveway on a reasonable site, including excavation, sub-base and edging:
- Tarmac: £55 to £80 per square metre
- Resin bound: £70 to £110 per square metre
- Block paving, concrete blocks: £75 to £115 per square metre
- Block paving, clay or natural stone: £110 to £160 per square metre
- Gravel on a stabilised grid: £40 to £65 per square metre
- Pattern imprinted concrete: £70 to £100 per square metre
For a typical 50 square metre frontage that puts tarmac at £2,750 to £4,000, resin at £3,500 to £5,500 and concrete block paving at £3,750 to £5,750, before any dropped kerb, retaining wall or drainage work. Those extras are where Paignton jobs get expensive, and they are covered below.
If you want a price for a specific Paignton property rather than a per-metre estimate, West County Driveways surveys and quotes across Torbay, including the sloping plots and awkward-access streets that online calculators cannot price.
The 1930s Semis of Preston and the Torquay Road
The interwar houses along the Torquay Road, in Preston and around Marldon Road were built with a front garden, a low wall and, if you were lucky, a single garage down the side. Most have since had the front garden turned into parking, often badly, in the 1980s and 90s, and the job now is usually replacing a cracked concrete or worn tarmac drive rather than creating one from scratch.
On these plots the driveway is 35 to 55 square metres, roughly level, and the main decision is whether to keep the existing base. A 1980s concrete base that is sound can take a resin bound overlay at £55 to £75 per square metre, saving £1,000 to £1,500 against excavation, but it will not be permeable, which matters for the planning rules below. Block paving or tarmac on a fresh base is the more common route at £3,500 to £5,500 all in. Removing the old concrete adds £400 to £900 depending on thickness, and there is often more of it than expected.
Bungalow Estates: Goodrington, Roselands and Collaton St Mary
The bungalow estates are Paignton's biggest driveway market, and the brief is nearly always the same: a level, low-maintenance surface that is easy to walk on, does not need weeding, and takes two cars. Resin bound is the most popular choice here for exactly those reasons. It is smooth underfoot, it does not shift like gravel, and there are no joints for weeds. Block paving is the alternative for anyone who wants a traditional look and is happy with an annual weed treatment.
Bungalow plots tend to be wider than they are deep, so drives run 40 to 70 square metres, and a resin drive of that size in Paignton costs £3,200 to £6,500 in 2026. Many of these properties also want a widened drive to take a second car or a motorhome, and the extra width often means a new or widened dropped kerb, which is a Torbay Council application. We covered the difference between resin and block paving for maintenance in our guide to resin driveway maintenance in Paignton, which is worth reading before choosing, because the upkeep over 20 years matters more to most bungalow owners than the price on day one.
Dropped Kerbs and Torbay's Application Process
Any new or widened vehicle access across the pavement in Paignton needs a vehicle crossing licence from Torbay Council, and the council's own contractor or an approved one does the kerb work. Budget £1,200 to £2,500 for a standard dropped kerb in Torbay, plus the application fee, and allow six to twelve weeks. On a classified road such as the Torquay Road or Dartmouth Road, or anywhere near a junction or bus stop, it can be refused. Get the kerb approved before the driveway is ordered, not after.
Sloping Plots Above Roundham and Around the Harbour
The streets climbing from the seafront towards Roundham Head, Cliff Road and the older parts of Paignton around the harbour are steep. Some drives rise more than a metre across their length. That rules out loose gravel, which migrates downhill and ends up in the road, and it makes resin and block paving the sensible choices because both grip and both can be laid to a fall without the surface creeping.
Slopes add cost in two ways. Excavation and cut-and-fill to get a workable gradient can add £600 to £1,800, and any retaining structure to hold a level parking platform adds £150 to £300 per linear metre of wall. Tarmac on a steep slope in Torbay is a poor choice because it softens in summer, and Paignton's seafront gets more sun than almost anywhere else in England, around 1,700 hours a year, so a car parked on a hot tarmac slope leaves tyre depressions. Resin bound on a slope in Paignton costs £4,500 to £8,000 for a typical plot once groundworks are included.
Drainage, Planning and the Permeable Rule
Since 2008 any new front driveway over 5 square metres in England must either be permeable or drain to a soakaway or lawn rather than the road, or it needs planning permission. The government's guidance on permeable surfacing of front gardens sets out the options. Resin bound on an open-graded base, permeable block paving and gravel all pass. Standard tarmac, imprinted concrete and a resin overlay on old concrete do not, and need either a channel drain into a soakaway, adding £300 to £700, or a planning application.
This is not a paper rule in Paignton. The town drains steeply to the sea and to the Paignton stream, and Torbay Council has recorded repeated surface water flooding in the low ground around Victoria Park and Torquay Road during heavy winter rain. Devon gets around 1,000mm of rain a year and Torbay's storms come off the Channel with little warning. A driveway that dumps its runoff onto a sloping road contributes to the problem, and the council does enforce. A permeable surface or a proper soakaway is the cheaper answer than an enforcement letter when the house is sold.
Holiday Lets, Guest Parking and the Second Car
A meaningful share of Paignton's houses earn money in summer, and the driveway is part of the pitch. Off-street parking for two cars is one of the top three features holiday visitors look for in Torbay listings, and a house with a wide, tidy driveway lets faster and for more than one with a cracked single space. Owners of holiday properties tend to choose resin or block paving over tarmac because the finish photographs better and stands up to a different set of tyres every week.
For a holiday property, plan the driveway as a widened two-car space with a turning area if the plot allows, at £4,500 to £8,500 depending on surface, and time the work for the quiet months between October and March. Driveway installers in Torbay are busiest from Easter to September, and the reliable ones book six to ten weeks ahead through summer. Paignton has fewer driveway contractors than Newton Abbot or Torquay, and a good share of Torbay's work is done by firms based inland, so the lead time matters when a let is booked from Easter.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a new driveway cost in Paignton in 2026?
Between £3,200 and £9,500 for a typical 40 to 60 square metre frontage. Tarmac runs £55 to £80 per square metre, resin bound £70 to £110 and concrete block paving £75 to £115. Sloping plots, retaining walls, dropped kerbs and drainage work can add £1,000 to £4,000.
Which driveway surface is best for a bungalow in Paignton?
Resin bound is the most popular for bungalow estates such as Goodrington and Roselands because it is smooth underfoot, weed-free and low maintenance. Block paving is the alternative for a traditional look. Loose gravel is a poor choice for anyone with mobility concerns.
Do I need planning permission for a driveway in Paignton?
Not if the surface is permeable or drains to a soakaway or lawn. Standard tarmac, imprinted concrete or resin over old concrete draining to the road needs either a drainage channel to a soakaway or a planning application. Any new dropped kerb needs a separate vehicle crossing licence from Torbay Council.
How much is a dropped kerb in Torbay?
Budget £1,200 to £2,500 for a standard dropped kerb in Paignton, plus the council application fee, with six to twelve weeks from application to completion. Applications on classified roads or near junctions and bus stops can be refused, so get approval before ordering the driveway.
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