Most Bitterne properties sit on sloping ground east of the Itchen valley, so Resin Bonded Surfacing here comes down to aggregate broadcast and rolled onto a resin adhesive layer, giving a textured, gravel-like finish. Locally, the driveway most often needed is one dealing with plots with a genuine fall, where getting the drainage right matters more than the surface chosen. It is best suited to larger areas and verges being resurfaced over an already sound, level base, though it keeps more texture underfoot than resin bound, which suits some frontages better than others. There is also the Itchen-valley slope, which affects how drainage runs across the plot to plan around.
About Resin Bonded Surfacing
Resin bonded surfacing works differently to resin bound: a resin adhesive is spread over the prepared base and the aggregate is then broadcast and rolled onto that wet layer, so only the underside of each stone is bonded and the top surface keeps its natural, textured, gravel-like appearance and grip. It is generally laid in a single layer rather than the full-depth mix used for resin bound, which makes it a economical option for covering larger areas, verges, and pathways where the fully smooth resin-bound look isn’t essential. The finish is more textured underfoot than resin bound and, because it is a thinner system, it is usually specified over a genuinely sound and level existing base rather than as a full standalone rebuild.
Best suited to: larger areas, verges, and pathways being resurfaced over an already sound, level base
Less suited to: a fully smooth barefoot-friendly finish, or sites needing a full structural rebuild rather than a resurface
Ground & property in Bitterne
Bitterne sits on sloping ground east of the River Itchen, and the 1930s to 1960s semis that make up most of the area often have a noticeable fall across the plot. On ground like this, getting the falls and drainage right matters more to how a driveway performs long-term than which surface material is chosen.
Coastal / flood note: Itchen-valley slope affecting drainage runs