Height of decking in sloped garden (Ed.)

[PCB1993]

Hi!

If anybody could please advise and/or supply some concrete evidence.

We have a 50% shared council property that we paid to gain permission for some decking and flagging work. Successful in this.

We read about the 30cm ruling from the ground to decking work as it was in our T&C’s from the council in our approval but researched and read it was from the highest point of a sloped garden which ours is.

We have now seen some contradictory information saying it has to be from the ground that is adjoining the property. It is so vague online and now we are panicking.

Also would be so unfair in the case of that as because our garden is sloped we’d struggle to have any decking! We chose decking over flags to prevent the whole garden being dug up.

If it would be a privacy thing, there is still ample privacy either side. Not much difference from our view from the top of our garden as it was originally, to the end of our new decking.

The council officer has to come out when the work is complete to sign it off and now I could just curl in a ball. Afraid of him getting the tape measure out! We’ve changed from a single step to a step full length just to make it seem less steep!

I’m in love with our work so far and want to enjoy the whole process but I’m now dreading the whole thing!

The end of the decking measures at 37cm
The top (original height) is 14cm

We also have the best neighbours we could ask for, nothing will come from them.

Thanks in advance!

 

[big-all]

if its purely permitted, It's fine as below 300mm at the highest adjacent point
now do you need permission [from shared owner] as joint owner with further conditions i dont know??

 

[PCB1993]

We paid for a permission request with the council (the joint owner) and was approved pending meeting the conditions, a sign off visit pending completion. Thanks for the reply! I’m too guessing that’s the case and we’ll be fine

 

[big-all]

what did the "permission request" say [i dont know the first thing about them]
is it as simple as "we agree for you to build as permitted " as in you can do it if your allowed
or does it throw other preconditions into the situation ??

 

[PCB1993]

It’s just to abide by council terms and regs and no terms etc differ for them individually. Just mentions the 30cm ruling and to not take over 50% of the garden etc.

 

[^woody^]

We have now seen some contradictory information saying it has to be from the ground that is adjoining the property

Ignore it

 

[big-all]

as an aside
you are fully correct in your interpretation[correctly applying the regs as designed ]
if the council ever suggest you apply for "retrospective permission", never ever do it as a compliant situation without any planning input what so ever will turn into "you have now been hooked into the system where badly informed people can make your life hell "

 

[^woody^]

And another aside, be clear about which part of "the council" you are dealing with and the specific departmental requirements.

Planning department officers do not check work, and housing department officers do not deal with planning rules nor can insist on them. .