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Hi everyone,
I'm looking for a little help if possible please, as having read various threads online I'm not clear as to whether we have inadvertently breached planning permissions.
Basically, we've had some work carried out to our back garden recently, which sits on a slope. When we purchased the property the back garden consisted of patio next to the back door, raised garden/lawn area, steep muddy slope, retaining wall and fence to the very back of the garden (we back onto more raised land). We are not green fingered at all and were struggling to keep up with the maintenance of the mud slope, so decided to get a gardener who has essentially used sleepers to extend the retaining wall out with a patio atop. I've attached a picture, which is hopefully helpful.
A neighbour messaged as work was ongoing to ask how planning permission was going and at this stage we panicked as we literally had no idea we'd need it and contacted our gardener who said in his opinion, it would not be necessary as it was an extension outwards of the existing elevation that was already there. For context, atop of the existing retaining wall there is space for a table/chairs, but we never use it given the elevation isn't practical.
However, we've today received a letter from the council to advise that a neighbour has complained and they would like pictures of the garden to check if it complies with planning or not. Having read a raft of information online, the definition that confused me (and quite possibly due to our gardener's interpretation) is around 'ground height' and from which point that applies. I've seen posts where the slope goes down from the back of the house, but can't find anything where it's at the back of the garden that is clear.
In our case, would it apply from atop of the existing retaining wall or would it apply from where the back garden meets the initial patio, considering the raised garden area (the lawn) that has always been there is greater than 30cm?
We're in a position now where we're gutted, mainly because this has come as a total surprise, we'd obviously not have gone ahead if we had even thought this would be an issue; either for planning or at risk of upsetting neighbours, but we're here now and just trying to figure out what our options are.
Any help or comments would be appreciated, mainly so we can prepare ourselves and come to terms with relevant course of action, rather than waiting for a surprise.
Thanks
I'm looking for a little help if possible please, as having read various threads online I'm not clear as to whether we have inadvertently breached planning permissions.
Basically, we've had some work carried out to our back garden recently, which sits on a slope. When we purchased the property the back garden consisted of patio next to the back door, raised garden/lawn area, steep muddy slope, retaining wall and fence to the very back of the garden (we back onto more raised land). We are not green fingered at all and were struggling to keep up with the maintenance of the mud slope, so decided to get a gardener who has essentially used sleepers to extend the retaining wall out with a patio atop. I've attached a picture, which is hopefully helpful.
A neighbour messaged as work was ongoing to ask how planning permission was going and at this stage we panicked as we literally had no idea we'd need it and contacted our gardener who said in his opinion, it would not be necessary as it was an extension outwards of the existing elevation that was already there. For context, atop of the existing retaining wall there is space for a table/chairs, but we never use it given the elevation isn't practical.
However, we've today received a letter from the council to advise that a neighbour has complained and they would like pictures of the garden to check if it complies with planning or not. Having read a raft of information online, the definition that confused me (and quite possibly due to our gardener's interpretation) is around 'ground height' and from which point that applies. I've seen posts where the slope goes down from the back of the house, but can't find anything where it's at the back of the garden that is clear.
In our case, would it apply from atop of the existing retaining wall or would it apply from where the back garden meets the initial patio, considering the raised garden area (the lawn) that has always been there is greater than 30cm?
We're in a position now where we're gutted, mainly because this has come as a total surprise, we'd obviously not have gone ahead if we had even thought this would be an issue; either for planning or at risk of upsetting neighbours, but we're here now and just trying to figure out what our options are.
Any help or comments would be appreciated, mainly so we can prepare ourselves and come to terms with relevant course of action, rather than waiting for a surprise.
Thanks
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