Will I need planning permission?

Hi,

Last year I did a Japanese garden in my back garden and my dad built raised beds for me as my garden in covered in concrete due to my wheelchair.

This year it's time to do my front garden, as its not suitable for getting around. The garden slopes away from the house at a height of just over 1m. There is a public pathway running along the front and the green fields in front. My idea is to change the lounge window for French doors, which others have done. Build raised beds around the perimeters of the garden 1.4m deep and coming up to the same height as my lounge floor. I'd leave a border at the front between the public footpath and the raised bed, which would be 1.6m deep. Then run a decking from lounge door out to the raised beds at the height of the top of the raised beds, the deck would be 3x4m.

This would then give me access from my lounge out to my front garden in my wheelchair and as I kneel to do my gardening, I'd be at the level of the raised beds for me to maintain them easily.

4 doors up from me have put a deck in, but had to get planning permission because of the height, but it's just a deck with railing around it.

On the planning portal, it says if a decking is more than 30cm in height, then planning permission is needed. My dad is going to the planners anyway, but I was thinking and that's bad news lol. Do you think that because the decking would be surrounded by deep raised beds, would the planners still require me to put an application. I'm just putting it out there to see what others thinks.

 

Always best/essential to check with the local planners as different planning authorities interpretations can vary, and some will have Supplementary Planning Guidance leaflets that set out their detailed policies on these things, check their website for anything that may cover this decking and check what's been granted PP in the vicinity. And check the precise wording for such stuff as "XXXXmm above surrounding ground level as this could mean if you raise the ground beyond the proposed decking area first it might remove the need for PP for a subsequent decked area. Keep records in case you want to sell and get asked for a copy of the consent.

 

I will have to put in for planning permission, ad dad spoke to the planners, although I won't have to pay as its a way of access for me. They did say however, if the deck was lower than the raised beds, then no planning permission is required, but didn't say by how much though. Anyway, we'll get the plans done and get them sent in for their next meeting.