The national rule applies — permeable surfacing, or impermeable under 5m² draining to soft landscaping, needs no permission. Tonbridge & Malling BC recommends applying for a Lawful Development Certificate (LDC) first so you have written confirmation your scheme is permitted development, which is useful if your road is classified, you sit in a conservation area, or the property is near Environment Agency flood zones 2 or 3 along the Medway where drainage is scrutinised. Every driveway we install is designed to meet drainage requirements as standard — so in most cases there's nothing extra for you to worry about. If your property has any unusual circumstances, just ask and we'll advise.

Dropped-kerb applications in Tonbridge are handled by Kent County Council: £500 fee (£231 refunded if declined), 28-day target, two-year validity. Tonbridge & Malling BC's parking office (parking.office@tmbc.gov.uk) is the first contact for the planning / LDC strand, and they strongly recommend running that check before you pay the KCC fee — it avoids a refused application where a classified road or flood-zone frontage was the blocker.

Tonbridge sits on the Hastings Beds — Tunbridge Wells Sand, Wadhurst Clay and Ashdown sandstone on rising ground — with Weald Clay through the town-centre flats and Medway valley. Weald Clay plots in flood zones 2/3 need raised edging, a piped drain away from the property and a SuDS-compliant surface; sandstone plots on the rise drain far better and suit a standard permeable build-up. Flood-zone frontages often also need Environment Agency informal advice before a spec is finalised.