Do You Need Planning Permission for Your Decking?

When you plan to build decking or any other raised platform in your garden, it usually falls under a category called 'permitted development'. This term means you might not need to get formal planning permission, but only if your project adheres to specific rules and limitations.

When You Don't Need Planning Permission

Generally, you can build decking without needing planning permission, but only if your project satisfies every one of these points:

• Your decking must not be higher than 30cm from the ground.

• The combined area of your new decking, along with any other existing extensions, outbuildings, or similar structures, must not take up more than 50 per cent of your garden space.

• You cannot place any part of the decking or platform in front of the wall that forms the main front part of your house.

Special Rules for Certain Locations and Property Types

However, some additional restrictions come into play if your property is in a protected area, or if you're dealing with particular kinds of homes or building plans:

• If your home is in a National Park, the Broads, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), or a World Heritage Site, your decking has a size limit. If the decking is further than 20 metres from your house, it cannot exceed 10 square metres in total.

• If your property is on 'Article 2(3) designated land' (which often means you're in a conservation area), you are forbidden from constructing any decking or platform on either side of your house.

• For properties located within the curtilage (which means the grounds) of a listed building, you cannot put up any decking or platform without getting special consent first.

Importantly, permitted development rights for building decking simply do not apply to these situations:

• Flats or maisonettes.

• Houses that have been converted, or those created under specific 'permitted development' rights concerning 'Changes of Use' (specifically Schedule 2, Part 3, Classes G; M; MA; N; P; PA and Q) or 'New Dwellinghouses' (Schedule 2, Part 20), as outlined in The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015.

• Other categories of buildings, such as commercial properties.

• Any location where a planning condition, an Article 4 Direction, or another local rule restricts or completely removes your property's permitted development rights.

What if your decking is just one part of a bigger project? For instance, if you're building an extension that also incorporates new decking, then the rules for the whole development might change or become more complex. In such cases, you might discover that you need to secure full planning permission or even prior approval.

Unsure if your decking plans require planning permission? Before you begin any construction, it's wise to reach out to your Local Planning Authority for specific advice. Additionally, you can consult the Government's official technical guidance regarding permitted development rights for homeowners.