A town built in stages
Billingham's housing tells the story of the town. The old village around St Cuthbert's Church came first. Then, from the early 1920s, the chemical works brought company housing: by June 1922 the Synthetic Ammonia and Nitrates company had built 24 semi-detached homes for staff and foremen on Mill Lane, and by the 1950s it owned around 1,700 houses locally. Planned estates followed from the 1950s onwards, pushing the town out towards Wolviston and Cowpen Bewley.
Each stage brings different driveway questions:
| Era | Typical homes | What usually needs doing |
|---|---|---|
| Village core | Cottages and older houses on and near the Green | Small, careful openings; conservation area rules |
| 1920s to 1930s company housing | Brick semis with long front gardens | Lawn-to-drive conversions, new crossings |
| 1950s to 1970s estates | Semis, terraces and bungalows, often open-plan | First drive for the house, verge and kerb work |
| 1980s onwards | Detached and semi-detached homes with drives | Re-laying, widening, replacing tired block paving |
You can read about each part of town on our areas page.
What a drive costs in 2026
| Surface | UK average per m² | 35m² front drive |
|---|---|---|
| Gravel | £60 | about £2,100 |
| Tarmac | £90 | about £3,150 |
| Block paving | £100 | about £3,500 |
| Resin-bound | £120 | about £4,200 |
Source: Checkatrade driveway cost guide, April 2026. Removing an old concrete drive, extra drainage and a new crossing are on top. Our Billingham cost guide shows how those extras add up.
Planning, drainage and the kerb
Three rules catch people out:
- Front garden drainage. A hard surface of more than 5m² at the front that drains onto the road needs planning permission. Permeable surfaces avoid this. See the drainage guide.
- Conservation villages. Billingham Green, Wolviston and Cowpen Bewley are conservation areas, and Article 4 Directions in parts of the borough's conservation areas remove the usual freedom to lay a front drive or take down a front wall. See drives in the conservation villages.
- The dropped kerb. Only the owner can apply, and only the council or a contractor holding its Opening Up licence can do the work. See dropped kerbs.
Patios
Plenty of Billingham homes have long, level back gardens that suit a patio well. Porcelain and sandstone are the most popular choices, and a patio usually needs no planning permission at all.
Common questions
How much is a new drive in Billingham?
Roughly £60 to £120 per m² on 2026 UK averages. A 35m² front drive comes to about £2,100 to £4,200 before extras such as digging out or a new crossing.
Do I need planning permission?
Not usually, if the surface is permeable or drains into your garden. In parts of Billingham Green, Wolviston and Cowpen Bewley, Article 4 Directions can mean a front drive needs permission whatever the surface.
Who do I ask about a dropped kerb?
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council. The property owner applies, and the council either quotes and builds the crossing or you use a contractor with its Opening Up licence.
Do you cover Wolviston and Cowpen Bewley?
Yes. Both villages, and every part of Billingham in TS22 and TS23, are covered.
Is the quote free?
Yes. An independent local installer gets in touch, visits to measure up and gives a written quote with no obligation.