Planning permission
You will not require planning permission for paving, decks, patios or raised planting areas provided that:
- they are created within your domestic curtilage (‘domestic curtilage’ is the area of land on which a dwelling house / flat sits which is used for residential purposes. It does not include a field or other open land next to a house, even if it is in the same ownership)
- the paving, decking, patio or raised planting area does not exceed 40 cm in height above or below the existing ground level
- the work does not involve the formation or widening of a means of access on to a road
- the work does not create an obstruction to the view of a person using a road at or near a bend, corner, junction or intersection
Further information:
- paving, decks and patios must not discharge water onto a road unless you have permission to do so from the Highway Authority. To contact the Highway Authority contact your Parish Roads Committee
- you will need planning permission if your 'permitted development' rights have been removed by a condition on a previous Planning Permit in the last 30 years or so
Making an application - planning
Building permission
Creating a deck at ground level will not normally require building permission unless the creation of the deck
- alters or removes a level access to your house
- or is adjacent to your house and creates a change in level of 600mm or more above the adjoining ground level
If building permission for a raised deck is required. A building officer will check that the deck is safe to use by considering the following:
- the adequacy of the structural design
- appropriate balustrades and guarding have been provided (to a height of at least 1100mm from surface of deck to top of the guarding)
- balustrades and guarding are not readily climable by children
- gaps in the guarding need to be limited so that a 100mm sphere cannot pass through
- requirements relating to the 'pitch' (steepness) of the staircase, the rise (height) of each step and the going (width) of the tread have been met
- handrails and guarding have been provided on stairs
These guidelines are by no means exhaustive, but are meant as a general guide. With any type of raised deck, it is best to contact the Department for specific application advice.
Making an application - building