Decking height

whitesatin

Our house has a downward sloping garden. There is a large decked area when you step out the back door, with quite steep steps down to the grass. We are thinking of having another decked area once you get to the bottom of the steps. Because the lawn continues to slope downwards, the rear of the deck would be just under 30cms high but the front, onto the lawn, would be more like 60cms high. I'm getting myself worked up about whether or not this is allowed and may well go to the planning office but before I cause myself the trouble, does it sound acceptable? Given that our existing decking is already so high that it overlooks other gardens and we would see very little from the lower deck anyway, am I worrying unnecessarily?

vansboy

If you visit the local authority website, it will tell you there, which levels would require them to be involved.

VB

casper_g

Does the existing decking have planning permission? If not, has it been there long enough to be immune from enforcement action?

whitesatin

casper_g wrote: »

Does the existing decking have planning permission? If not, has it been there long enough to be immune from enforcement action?

We have been here for almost six years and there is a kitchen extension which had planning permission about 8 years ago. I took a look at the planning approval for that and there is reference by the planner to the existing decking with no comment that it needed permission. Under that decking was/is an existing concrete patio at that height, the decking was obviously put over it. The house just sits in an elevated position and, from below, on the grass, all you can see is concrete which the house seems to be built on. Our house was built in the early sixties in a space between Victorian terraces that was not built on for some reason. I just can't figure it out but it is quite a hilly area and some of the houses have basements and some don't so we sit high above all the surrounding gardens and, if it wasn't for the shrubbery, we would probably be able to see into their gardens (should we want to, which we don't). A guestimate would be that the existing decking and original patio (and, of course, the house), sit at least a couple of metres above the grass. There are steep wooden steps down into the garden, all of which are higher than the proposed new deck.

Carmk2008

Wouldn't worry about it my decking was over 2m high never bothered with planning and was never asked about it.

Davesnave

Carmk2008 wrote: »

Wouldn't worry about it my decking was over 2m high never bothered with planning and was never asked about it.

That's because you didn't have a neighbour who wanted to drop you in it.

Most neighbours won't, but the rules are there to prevent someone using decking to overlook and possibly intimidate others nearby.

That just leaves trampolines! :rotfl:

I'd suggest the OP looks at her garden situation and consider whether anyone might complain. Even speak to the neighbours, if they're amenable sorts, although most won't know of the rules anyway.

These things usually only become an issue when there is an easily identifiable down-side for someone, or existing bad feeling.

DTDfanBoy

The height is measured from the highest point of level ground adjacent to the structure, which in your case appears to be under the 30cm limit for permitted development, it could be 10m high at the other end and still be allowed

phil24_7

I though the measurement was taken from the highest part of the planned decking structure to the ground below?

whitesatin

No, I am fairly sure now that it is measured from the highest point of the land adjacent to the planned decking. On reflection, when I think about it, each of the steps down from the house is a lot higher than the proposed decking, not to mention the fact that the existing decking is high up in itself.