What surface should we have in the alley way between houses?

[GravelChic]

Hi, my neighbour and I want to get the alley way between our houses re-surfaced because it's a mess - every year weeds, etc.

She's currently having work done on her house so already has a skip and the builder has said because of this, he can do it cheaply (we don't want to spend too much money on it, it's not big enough for a car and it's literally just for us to wheel our bins in and out of the garden, bring furniture etc.

So options:
Concrete: cheap, but ugly and may cause damp problems in our houses
Gravel: cheap, but cat toilet? And also problems wheeling big heavy wheelie bins over?
Bark: cheap but doesn't last long
Blue slate: Any problems with this?
Decking? Rat paradise?
Concrete slabs - cheap, but does this option have the same problem as a big expanse of concrete, IE drainage?

Any advice, wise mumsnetters?

I'd go for gravel with a row on concrete slabs up the middle for wheeling the bin etc. That's what we've got on or drive and we've never had an issue with cats.

I'd do slate chippings up the sides against the house for drainage and pavers up the middle for the bins, make sure the pavers are wide enough for the bins to roll over.

OMG you people are fucking geniuses.

Why didn't I think of that?

Thank you Mumsnet!