Drainage and planning

Resin Driveways, Permeability and SuDS Compliance

Permeability is the strongest technical argument for resin bound, and it is also the most frequently misused word in driveway sales. A permeable surface over an impermeable base is not a permeable driveway.

Here is what the terms mean, what the rules actually require on a domestic front garden, and how we build to meet them.

Resin bound: Permeable, water passes through the surface
Resin bonded: Not permeable, stone scattered onto resin
Threshold to watch: Over 5m2 of new impermeable surface
Base requirement: Open graded permeable build up beneath

Resin bound is not resin bonded

Resin bound mixes aggregate and resin together and trowels it out as a solid but porous mat, so water drains straight through it. Resin bonded scatters loose stone onto a resin coated impermeable surface, giving a rough finish with no permeability and loose stone over time. They sound alike and behave nothing alike. We install resin bound.

What SuDS compliance means in practice

Sustainable drainage means rainwater is managed on your property rather than pushed straight into the highway drain. On a driveway that means either a permeable surface with a permeable base, or drainage that directs run off to a border, lawn or soakaway within your boundary.

The permitted development position for front gardens is that a new impermeable surface over five square metres draining to the highway needs planning permission, while a permeable surface, or an impermeable one draining to a permeable area on your land, does not.

Building a genuinely permeable driveway

Beneath the resin we lay an open graded permeable aggregate, not standard MOT compacted solid. Edges are restrained without damming water, and on clay ground with poor infiltration we design a soakaway or an attenuation layer sized for the area. Trees and existing services are located before we dig, not discovered halfway through.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need planning permission for a resin driveway?

Generally not, because a correctly built resin bound driveway is permeable. Permission becomes relevant when a new impermeable surface over five square metres drains directly to the highway.

Is resin bound really permeable?

The surface is, provided the base beneath it is open graded and free draining. Laid over a sealed concrete slab it will shed water to the edges instead, which is why the base specification matters.

What is the difference between resin bound and resin bonded?

Bound is mixed and trowelled, smooth and permeable. Bonded is loose stone scattered onto resin, rough and not permeable, and it sheds stone over time.

Will a resin driveway flood in heavy rain?

A correctly built one drains through rather than pooling. Problems occur where the surface is permeable but the base and surrounding levels are not, so water has nowhere to go.

Do I still need a soakaway on clay ground?

Often yes. Heavy clay infiltrates slowly, so we design attenuation or a soakaway sized to the driveway area rather than assuming the ground will take it.

More on resin driveways

Resin Driveways Resin Driveway Cost in Essex Resin Driveway Colours and Aggregate Blends Resin Driveway Maintenance and Cleaning How Long Does a Resin Driveway Last?

Resin-bound Surfacing service page

Ask about a compliant driveway

We survey the ground, work out the drainage strategy and quote a fully permeable build up, with our ten year guarantee behind it.

Discuss my driveway Call 07535 661664