10 replies to this topic

[Tupers]

Bit of an odd question but hopefully someone here might have experience. 

 

The graden at the front of my house is 5.5x4M and slopes down lengthways from 1.5M to flat.

I want to excavate the whole area to one level, pour a concrete slab and then build a 4x2M deck at the high end. 

 

I'm guessing I wont need planning permission or building regs for this as you don't for a pool or pond but wondered it there's anyone here who knows more. 

[minidaves]

check with your local office as its considered on volume and not tempary

[Jordie]

Alot of stuff is permitted these days, without planning permission, but these usually cannot be in front of the house. Best to make some inquiries before starting work.

 

http://www.planningp...ojects/decking/

[Tamworthbay]

Having just gone through the planning process for the first time I was amazed how helpful the local planning team were. Take some drawings down to the planning office and have a chat, they will explain what's best to do. In my case they saved me a lot of money and time by suggesting an alternative route to what I thought I needed.

[David128]

Front of house can be an issue. same as previous contact the planners they offer some good  advice and its free.

[Big Sam]

I'm fairly sure you'll need to install a soakaway if its to be used as a driveway or to be of permeable construction, my builder is having to do it for my extension in the new year and he remarked on something vaguely like that. They aren't allowed to connect back into any current drainage channel.

[GraemeC]

I suspect you will need permission, and building regs if your changing a free draining front garden into something impermeable and hence diverting surface water into the drains.

[littlewimp]

As  mentioned, I know that the front of the house can give you issues, a friend of mine erected a summer house on his front lawn and was told by the local planning that he should of had permission, this was due to it being in his front garden, if it was the rear of his house then it wouldn't be an issue . 

[Tupers]

It's a bit of an odd one as the garden it around 2M obove the road height already so not visible from the road unless you're in a hgv.

I think some phone calls are in order.

[Ethel]

Two rules I know of:

 

There's a height limit of a foot for raised landscaping, like decking. It all depends on where you measure from, but if none of it is higher than it was before it's hard to see a problem.

 

The other, as mentioned, is drainage. You're ok up to 5 sq. metres, above that and you'll need some sort of drainage so it doesn't run on to road (wasn't clear if you were just going to concrete  the raised bit. I don't see the need for a slab if you're decking above it. Set some posts in or at most some footings and supporting walls to stand it on. Think if you needed to dig it up to get at services and having the extra area for evaporation will help  your garden to not turn in to a swamp.

[humph]

A few weeks ago I'd have been able to ask my dad who was a planning officer, I can't do that any more bless him.

 

I did speak to him a few months ago about a colleagues raised decking recently. My colleague is having to go for planning permission as his decking will raise the level by more than 300mm or similar.   

 

Am I reading your post correct that you'll be digging down the 1.5m at the house end?  Will you be able to do that without undermining the foundations of the house? Or are the foundations deeper than 1.5m below ground level? Sorry that's my civil engineering head talking.

 

Speak to your local planning officer re permission, if you don't get the help you ask for try an organisation called planning aid. http://www.rtpi.org.uk/planning-aid/