Driveways, Patios & Brickwork in Rochester, Chatham & Gillingham

Building in Medway: what to know

The most common requests here are turning a small terraced front garden into off-road parking, replacing a tired 1970s driveway, and levelling sloping gardens — much of Chatham and Gillingham is built on hillsides running down to the river. Being local means quick site visits and easy follow-up after the job is finished.

• Chalk hillsides and river clay

  Much of Medway sits on the chalk of the North Downs, which drains freely once you are through the topsoil — good news for soakaways and permeable driveways. Down by the Medway and across the Hoo Peninsula it changes to London Clay and estuary alluvium, which holds water, moves with the seasons and needs a deeper, well-compacted sub-base and proper drainage falls. On the steep streets of Chatham and Gillingham, levels and retaining walls often matter as much as the surface itself, so we survey the gradient before designing a driveway.

• Dropped kerbs are handled by Medway Council

  Medway is a unitary authority, so it is its own highways authority — unlike the rest of Kent, dropped kerb and vehicle crossing applications go to Medway Council, not Kent County Council. The council offers pre-application advice with a site visit, and the crossing itself must be built by its own contractor or a council-approved one. We can plan the driveway around the crossing so the two line up.

• Conservation areas in historic Rochester and Chatham

  Rochester's historic centre around the castle and cathedral, and the area around Chatham's Historic Dockyard and Brompton, carry conservation controls. If your home is in one of these areas, changes to front boundaries, walls and hard standing can need consent, and materials should suit the setting — typically red or stock brick and traditional detailing.

• Terraces with tight access

  Many Medway terraces have narrow front gardens, steps up from the pavement and no rear access. We plan skip and grab-lorry positions, spoil removal and material deliveries in advance so the street stays clear and neighbours aren't blocked in.