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Property/DIY

Decking steps v platform 30cm rule

5 replies

poobumwee · 26/05/2018 17:59

Hi all looking for some advice and clarification on the law surrounding decking not being 30cm higher than garden level.

A bit of background. We live on a hill, so we and our attached neighbours houses', ground floor rooms are higher than the garden-so you have to step down into the garden from the house.

We are having a single storey wrap around extension built. From the back of the house we are building out 3 meters and are having 4 meter wide bifolds as part of the work.

My question relates to decking and the 30cm rule about not building higher than 30cm above existing garden. The drop from our bifolds at floor level to garden level at lowest point in garden will be approx. 45cm. Due to the hill we are on, when you look out the back of our property the garden on the right is marginally higher than the ground on the left, as it slopes upwards.

Ideally we would like to build decking steps the width of the bifolds, that will lead down to patio at the current level of the existing lower part of the garden. The steps would only be wide enough to use as steps and would not enable anyone to sit in a chair on them-so would not be a platform. If we start the first step at level of bifold, you would walk out on first step at same level as ground floor and then there would be two additional steps down to the patio. This means the top step would be approx. 45cm up from lowest point I garden.

My question is, do decking steps fall under the same rules as decking platforms?

It’s worth noting that when we stand where our bifolds will be, we cannot see into our neighbours garden as we have paid for the highest fence we could without planning and their garden is lower than ours. But we have no desire to break the law or cause ourselves problems in the future and we are keen to also preserve our neighbour's privacy too.

So can we start the steps at 45cm, so we can walk out onto the first step at ground floor level or would we need to step down from bifolds meaning first step would be 30cm from current lowest point in garden?

I hope the above makes sense

Thank you

OP posts:
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HawaiiFiveOh · 27/05/2018 09:08

I'm pretty sure this rule only applies to platforms, not steps. Came across this when researching for my own extension, but I don't have any references I can quote.. hopefully someone who can will come along.

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Iluvthe80s · 27/05/2018 09:11

Thanks HawaiiFiveOh husband and I have googled but it's not easy to get a straight answer on this one. Most people are asking about decking platforms not steps.

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johnd2 · 27/05/2018 12:18

For a definitive answer you can ask the planning person at your council. You can even get a legally binding answer if you apply for a lawful development certificate (at cost)
However it may be one of those things where as soon as you ask, all the grey areas come out.
Personally I'd say as long as it's reasonable, go for it. Especially if any affected neighbour is not worried, you'll be unlikely to get pulled up on it.
The only other worry is if you're selling, some buyers could make a fuss if the surveyor mentions it.

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Iluvthe80s · 27/05/2018 12:34

Thanks johnd2 that was our main concern really ref selling. As neighbours are not going to be impacted they are unlikely to even notice. So it would be when we cone to sell on future.

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Iluvthe80s · 27/05/2018 12:35

I've emailed our architects too to see what they say

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