From a hilltop township to a mixed suburb
The name Throston is thought to come from an Anglo-Saxon word for a hill. It was once a township in the parish of Hartlepool, became a civil parish in 1866 and stretched from the Headland to farmland inland, including High Throston and Throston Grange. In 1931 the parish had 3,729 people. Today the Throston ward is much bigger, with 3,526 households at the 2021 Census.
The mix of homes is broad. Across the ward, 37% of households lived in terraces, 36% in semis, 21% in detached houses and 6% in flats. 55% of homes were owner-occupied. 28% of households had no car and 30% had two or more, so parking demand ranges from none to several cars per house.
Down at street level the contrast is sharper. In the census area around Nookston Close, Thornhill Gardens and Wiltshire Way (LSOA Hartlepool 003H), 56% of homes were terraced and 37% rented from a social landlord. Further west towards Hart Lane and High Throston Golf Club, the estates are newer and most houses have a drive.
Common Throston requests:
- Replacing a builder's tarmac drive on a 1990s or 2000s house that has faded or sunk.
- Block paving or imprinted concrete to match a new porch or extension.
- Adding a second space where a garden is wide enough.
- A first parking space in front of a terrace, where depth allows.
Clay over limestone
The British Geological Survey maps Throston on glacial till over Roker Formation dolostone, a Permian magnesian limestone. The bedrock is usually well below the depth of a drive, so it is the till that matters. It is a stiff, stony clay that holds water, which means:
- a sub-base of well-compacted crushed stone on a membrane,
- edges set in concrete so blocks do not creep,
- a fall away from the house, with water reaching a soakaway, a border or a channel drain.
The Environment Agency's flood map shows a single Flood Zone 2 area within 300 metres of Nookston Close, so check your exact address. Most of Throston sits on higher ground, in keeping with its name.
Planning, permits and kerbs
No conservation area. Throston has no conservation area of its own, so for a house a new drive is permitted development if it is permeable or drains to the garden. Non-permeable paving over five square metres that drains to the road needs planning permission. On newer estates, check your deeds for covenants about front gardens.
The crossing permit. If you need a new or wider dropped kerb, Hartlepool Borough Council's policy is that the homeowner gets quotes from accredited contractors and the chosen contractor applies for a £145 vehicle crossing permit, paid upfront. The council checks the site and normally issues the permit in about two working days. A standard crossing is 2.7 metres wide. See our dropped kerbs page for more.
Replacing a drive in Throston
Replacing a drive costs a bit more than a new one, because the old surface has to be broken out and taken away. A typical double drive on a Throston semi is around 30m². At Checkatrade's April 2026 UK averages:
- Gravel with a grid: about £60 per m², roughly £1,800 for 30m².
- Tarmac: about £90 per m², roughly £2,700.
- Block paving: about £100 per m², roughly £3,000.
- Resin bound: about £120 per m², roughly £3,600.
Imprinted concrete is another popular choice on newer estates, and we can price it alongside the others. If the old sub-base is sound, some of it can be reused, which keeps costs down. A trial hole at the start of the job shows whether that is possible, and it is worth asking for before you agree a price.
Nearby parts of Hartlepool
- Clavering driveways: North beyond the A179, a newer estate of semis and detached houses.
- Hart driveways: West along Hart Lane, a village with larger plots and a Grade I church.
- Headland driveways: East on the peninsula, where terraces leave little room for parking.
Popular choices on Throston estates: block paving, imprinted concrete, tarmac.
Every area on our list: All areas.
Questions people ask in Throston
My 1990s tarmac drive has sunk. Does it need replacing?
Sinking usually means the sub-base was too thin or too wet. Patching rarely lasts. Digging out and relaying with a deeper, compacted stone base is the long-term fix.
Is there a conservation area in Throston?
No. Throston has no conservation area, so a permeable drive or one that drains to the garden does not need planning permission for a house.
Can I add a second space next to my drive?
Often, if the garden is wide enough. If the kerb crossing needs widening, your contractor applies for Hartlepool's £145 permit first.
Is Throston at risk of flooding?
Most of Throston is on higher ground. There is one mapped Flood Zone 2 area near Nookston Close, so check your address on the Environment Agency's flood map.
Sources: ONS Census 2021, Throston ward and LSOA Hartlepool 003H (TS044, TS045, TS054 via Nomis); Wikipedia: Throston; BGS Geology Viewer, 1:50,000; Environment Agency flood map for planning; Planning Data: conservation areas and listed buildings; Hartlepool Borough Council: vehicle crossing policy; GOV.UK: permeable surfacing of front gardens; Checkatrade driveway cost guide (April 2026).